Recipe - Mariscada - Brazilian Fish Stew

12 Clams
1 pound Mussels
2 tablespoon Pure olive oil
1 Large onion, minced
2 Large ripe tomatoes, peeled,
Seeded, coarsely chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Sprig fresh cilantro, minced
Salt& black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Pinch of saffron threads
4 pound Fresh codfish fillets, cut
into servingsize pieces
1 pound Jb shrimp, peeled, deveined
One half pound Fresh crabmeat, picked over
for cartilage

Clean the clams by scrubbing them thoroughly with a
wire brush, removing any beard or barnacles. Then
place them in a large pot with 1 gallon of water or
enough to cover, and 1/3 cup salt. Allow the clams to
remain for 20 minutes during which time they will
expel the sand inside. Continue this process, changing
the water at least two more times. The mussels are
cleaned in a similar manner, but you must leave them
in the water for at least 2 hours. Throw away any
clams or mussels that float or are not tightly closed.
Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large, heavy
saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes,
garlic, coriander, salt, peppers, and saffron and
cook, stirring, until the onions have softened, but
are not brown. Add the fish and shellfish to the onion
mixture. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce
the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until
the shellfish open. Discard any clams or mussels that
do not open. Serve hot.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini