Cacciucco-Fish Stew

5 Pound Assorted seafood
(such as eel; squid, prawns, whiting,
Hake; red mullet, small octopus, John
Dory; cuttlefish and crawfish)
3/4 Cup Olive oil
2 Cup Onions; julienned
2 Carrots; julienned
2 Celery stalks; julienned
1/2 Cup Finely-chopped parsley
2 Tablespoon Chopped garlic
2 Hot chili peppers; stemmed, minced
2 Bay leaves
2 Sprigs Fresh thyme
2 Cup Red wine
4 Cup Peeled; seeded, chopped Roma tomatoes
6 Cup Light stock; fish or chicken
Salt; to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper; to taste
12 Slice French or Italian type bread

Clean the fish, remove their heads and put them aside. Cut the smaller fish
into 3-inch pieces. Season the fish with salt and pepper. In a large pan,
heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and
saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley, garlic,
peppers, bay leaves, thyme and fish heads. Continue to saute for about 3 to
4 minutes or until the fish heads have browned. Add the red wine and bring
up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until the wine has
reduced by half, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stock. Bring the
liquid up to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and
pepper. Discard the fish heads and bay leaves, set aside and keep hot. In a
large saute pan, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the
squid, cuttlefish and octopus and saute for about 10 minutes. Add the
remaining fish and continue to saute for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Heat a large saute pan, and add the remaining olive oil. When the oil is
hot, pan-fry the bread for a couple of minutes on each side, or until
golden. Fry the bread in batches. Line a large tureen bowl with the fried
bread. Lay the fish on top of the fried bread. Pour the soup over the fish
and garnish with parsley. This recipe yields about 6 servings.