Mediterranean Seafood Stew

½     pound small new potatoes, skin on, whole

4      garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2      large onions, peeled, cut into quar- ters, with root ends intact (to hold them together)

2      tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2      cans (14 ounces each) diced tomatoes, juices drained

1      can (6 ounces) salt-free tomato paste

1      cup clam juice or fish stock

1      cup dry white wine or vermouth

1      teaspoon saffron

1      teaspoon dried basil

1      bay leaf

½     teaspoon fennel seeds

¼     teaspoon peppercorns

5      whole sprigs of fresh parsley

(stems and leaves)

1      small fennel bulb (8 ounces), top off, cut into ½-inch slices

18    mussels, scrubbed and debearded if necessary

12    jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, left whole with tail on

12    sea scallops, cut in half horizon- tally

¾     pound white fish, such as scrod, cut into 2-inch pieces

½     cup chopped parsley leaves grated zest of one orange

Place potatoes, garlic, onion and olive oil in ceramic pot of the Cuisinart® Slow Cooker; stir gently to combine. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, clam juice, wine, saf- fron and dried basil. Place bay leaf, fennel seeds, peppercorns and parsley sprigs

in a 5 x 5-inch square of cheesecloth (or coffee filter) and tie securely with kitchen twine. Add to pot. Cover and press the on/off button to turn the unit on. Set time for 2 hours and press High. Once slow cooker switches to Warm set time for 3 hours and press Simmer. Once time elapses, reset time for 3 hours and press Sim- mer; the slow cooker will automatically switch to Warm when cooking time has elapsed. At this point the sauce can rest on Warm until one hour before serving.

Raise heat to High, then add fennel slices; cook another 30 to 40 minutes. Add mussels, shrimp, scallops and fish. Continue to cook about 10 to 15 minutes, or until mussels are open, shrimp are pink, scallops and fish are opaque. Garnish with chopped parsley and orange zest.

Ladle stew directly from the pot into warm soup bowls. Serve with crusty bread on the side.