Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 cloves shallot, crushed
• 2 (1/2 to 3/4 pound) whole red mullets, cut in half, scaled with head and tails removed
• 1 (1 1/4 pound) whole orata (or any type of bass), cut in 4 equal parts, scaled with head and tails removed
• 1 large whole skate wing, cut in 4 equal parts
• 1 dozen Manila clams
• 4 razor clams (optional)
• 1 dozen mussels
• 4 langoustines, tails split (or 4 jumbo shrimp)
• 8 small whole seppie, remove beak (or 2 tubes of calamari, sliced into rings)
• 4 small baby octopus, remove beak
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 cups water
• 1 (8 ounce) can peeled Italian tomatoes (or 1 pint vine ripe cherry tomatoes)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 pinches dried oregano
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 6 basil leaves, chopped

Directions