Sea Captain’s Muddle

Servings: 
4
Meal: 
Soups, stews
Ingredients: 
1 pound pancetta, diced
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 quarts of tomato juice
2 cups of fresh clam stock
2 cups fresh shrimp stock
6 vine ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 pound red potatoes, diced and blanched
1 pinch saffron
1 tablespoon toasted fennel seed
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Directions: 
In a large sauce pot or stock pot, cook the diced pancetta over medium high heat until crispy in texture. Add celery, onion and garlic and continue to cook the vegetables until they are tender in texture. Add tomato juice, clam and shrimp stock and reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 25 minutes until all the flavors are blended. Add fresh seafood, 1/2 pound per person, five minutes before serving and cook until just done, 3–5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.