3/4 pound mussels, cleaned and bearded
3/4 pound clams
1/2 pound shrimp, in their shells
1 large cooked crab, cleaned and cracked
1 pound halibut, or other firm white fish, cut into 4 pieces
With this as your base, you can make a credible cioppino, a bouillabaisse, or a zarzuela. Of course, Mediterranean fish are a bit different from our Pacific fish, but don’t stress over that. All three recipes are delicious, and even a native of the Mediterranean would grant you that all are more than passable adaptations of these famous national dishes.
If you’re lucky enough to have any of the herbs fresh, just use three times the indicated amount.