The Sicilian fishermen arrived in New Orleans from Palermo in the late 1800s. They came following their civil war and ours to become laborers in the sugar cane fields, dockworkers, and fishermen. This is one of the many recipes they contributed to our culinary gumbo.

Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Yields: 6–8 Servings

Ingredients:
1 pound redfish or snapper, cubed
1 pound (21–25 count) shrimp, head-on, peeled, and deveined
2 dozen oysters, liquid reserved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 (16-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with juice
1-1/2 cups seawater or seafood broth
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans) or Great Northern beans
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped basil
salt and red pepper flakes to taste
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 pound penne pasta, cooked

Method:
In a 1-gallon Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not brown. Add onions and cook until wilted, 3–5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice and seawater. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer, and cook 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, bay leaf and basil then cook for 3–5 minutes. Season to taste using salt, red pepper flakes, and a squeeze of lime juice. Cook until liquid is reduced by half volume. Add cubed fish, shrimp, oysters, and oyster liquid. Cook until fish is tender and shrimp are pink and curled 5–7 minutes. Add green onions and adjust seasonings if necessary. Once fish is cooked thoroughly, remove the bay leaf. Add pasta and cook until heated through. Serve with an equal portion of pasta and seafood.