Italian Fish Soup

This recipe is excellent for the chilly fall days that are just around the corner. Feel free to make a huge pot of this soup and save it for later! It freezes beautifully.

Ingredients
For soup

• 1 lb cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles separated but kept intact
  
• 1/2 lb large shrimp peeled, leaving tail and first segment of shell intact, and deveined
  
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
  
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
  
• 1 cup dry white wine
  
• 4 1/2 cups water
  
• 12 little neck clams scrubbed
  
• 12 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
  
• 4 cups fish stock or bottled clam juice (32 fl oz)
  
• 2 (14-oz) cans diced tomatoes in juice
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 lb skinless halibut fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For garlic toasts

• 1 (12-inch) Italian loaf, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
  
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
• Accompaniment: extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions
Rinse squid under cold running water and pat dry. If squid are large, halve ring of tentacles, then cut longer tentacles crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Pull off flaps from squid bodies and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bodies crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings. Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear shrimp in 2 batches, turning over once, until golden but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano to pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds. Add wine and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in clams and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 6 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened clams after 8 minutes.) Stir in mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened mussels after 6 minutes.) Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Add stock to pot along with remaining 4 cups water, tomatoes with juice, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Make toasts while stock simmers.