This tomato-based stew spiked with saffron and fortified with couscous is the perfect dinner for a beach dinner party.

Think of this as the lighter, less expensive version of cioppino, the stew that was created by Italian immigrants in San Francisco, California. Use whatever seafood looks good when you go shopping but don’t go overboard - I would recommend picking one shellfish and one fish filet. This dish is soupy rather than chunky like a classic cioppino. The couscous works wonders by soaking up the broth to help fill you up. What makes this stew really special is a scoop of pungent garlic aioli to perfectly complement the sweet saffron soup.

Couscous was brought to Sicily by way of North Africa. A lot of people think that it’s a grain but it’s actually a very small rolled pasta made of semolina flour. When Arab traders arrived to Sicily in the late ninth century, they brought this tradition with them. In addition to couscous, they brought citrus fruits, eggplants, artichokes almonds, pistachios, pomegranates, mulberries and apricots. All of these ingredients have had a profound effect on the cuisine of this most southern Italian province.

There are several components that can be made ahead of time including the fish fumet and sofrito. The difference between a fish stock and a fish fumet is that a fumet uses fish bones and white wine. The directions below create quantities that can be frozen, saved for later or used to scale up the recipe for a larger crowd. Just use the same proportions I recommend per person. Serve with a crisp white Italian wine like Vermentino and freshly toasted bread.

Serves 2

Ingredients for Fish Fumet

• 1 medium fish carcass of a white fish like red snapper

• 10-12 peppercorns

• 1 medium sweet onion

• 2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 6 branches of thyme

• 1/2 cup dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc

Makes Approximately 2 Quarts

Ingredients for Sofrito

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium sweet onion, diced 1/4-inch

• 4 stalks of celery, diced 1/4-inch

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 cup tomato puree or crushed tomatoes

• A small pinch saffron, bloomed in ice

Makes Approximately 2 Cups

Ingredients for Garlic Aioli

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Lemon juice

Makes Approximately 1 Cup

Ingredients for Stew

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 6 tablespoons sofrito

• 1/2 cup tomato puree

• 2 tablespoons dry sherry

• 3 cups fish fumet

• A small pinch saffron, bloomed in ice

• 0.5-0.75 lb white fish filet, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 12-16 Cherrystone clams, well cleaned

• Parsley leaves

Directions for Fish Fumet

1. Place the fish carcass in between two sheets of parchment paper. Using the back of a hefty chefs knife, smash the carcass a bit in order to help release some of the collagen from the bones. Transfer the carcass to a medium sauce pot and cover with water. Do not add too much water or it will dilute your broth.

2. Add all of the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil but cut the heat off quickly. You do not want this at a sustained rolling boil as it will make your fumet cloudy. Be sure to skim the fumet periodically to remove any scum.

3. Simmer for one hour. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Cool the fumet before transferring the fumet to heatproof containers. Label before placing in the fridge.

Directions for Sofrito

1. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Next, sauté the vegetables with a pinch of kosher salt until they are translucent, about five to eight minutes. Then, add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook in the vegetable mixture to release some of the oils.

2. Next, add the tomatoes and saffron bloomed in ice. Continue to cook the sofrito until it’s dry and starts to become oily, approximately ten more minutes. Remove from the heat to allow to cool. Transfer to heatproof containers and label before placing in the fridge.

Directions for Garlic Aioli

1. Using a traditional mortar and pestle, smash the garlic cloves with the salt until a rough paste is formed. Mix the egg yolks with the garlic paste until well combined. It should turn a pale yellow color.

2. Place the mortar on a damp kitchen towel. Then, slowly drizzle one cup of olive oil while blending with the pestle. The aioli should be the consistency of thin mayonnaise. Finish the aioli with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Directions for Stew

1. Bring a small sauce pot of water to a rolling boil with salt. Cook the couscous for six minutes. Strain the couscous and transfer to a sheet tray to allow to cool completely. Set aside.

2. In a high-walled sauté pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Warm up six tablespoons of the sofrito for one to two minutes before adding the tomato puree. Then, deglaze the entire vegetable mixture with three cups of fish fumet.

3. Once the soup is simmering, gently place your clams and fish chunks into the pan. Cover and allow to cook for two minutes. Remove the lid and add in your par cooked couscous. Cover one more time and cook for another minute. Discard any clams that did not open during the cooking - they were dead before they went in.

4. Plate the stew with a scoop of garlic aioli and a few sprigs of parsley. Enjoy!