Serves 10

Ingredients:

1 pound cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles separated but kept intact
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled 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 small hard-shelled clams such as littlenecks (less than 2 inches in diameter), scrubbed
12 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
4 cups fish stock
2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pound skinless swordfish fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Rinse squid under cold running water and pat dry. Cut the bodies into rings and chop the tentacles. Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a large soup pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear the shrimp in 2 batches, turning over once, until pink but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Add the 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.)

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. Add the swordfish and simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in squid and reserved shellfish, and then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 minute. Stir in basil and parsley and serve immediately.