Seafood cioppino

Oh. My. Gosh. 

Our friend Dan makes the best seafood chowder in the world, but I now think that I make the best cioppino.  Someday we'll have to have a party and serve both!

Seafood Cioppino

Olive oil
2 onions, chopped fine
2 T fresh ginger, chopped fine
5 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 t red pepper flakes
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 T tomato paste
16 oz clam juice
1 c white wine
2 t oregano
Salt and pepper
3 lbs fresh seafood (we like l lb each of white fish, shrimp, and scallops)

In a large stockpot, saute the onions through the green peppers for about 5 minutes in olive oil.  Add the red pepper flakes through the salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Drop the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Do not add the fish until close to time to serve.  You can store the soup base at this point until later if you'd like. 

Chop the fish into bite-sized pieces and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add the scallops and simmer for about 4 minutes.  Add the shrimp (assuming it's pre-cooked) and heat through before serving.