1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup onion (finely chopped)
1/2 cup green pepper (small diced)
1/2 cup scallions (diced)
1/2 cup celery (small diced)
3 Tbsp. garlic (minced)

4 cups fresh tomatoes (medium diced)
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup white wine
1 bay leaf

12 little neck clams
1/2 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 pound fresh swordfish (cut into 1 inch pieces)
3 Tbsp. fresh basil (chopped)
12 garlic croutons

Heat olive oil in a large pot; add onions, green pepper, scallions, and celery; sauté until translucent.

Add garlic and briefly sauté.

Add tomatoes, puree, wine, and bay leaf. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Add clams and simmer for 10 minutes, then add shrimp and swordfish.

Simmer until fish is cooked through (do not stir).

Add chopped basil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with garlic croutons.

Yield: 4 servings.

Where found:  OFFSHORE species worldwide in temperate and tropic waters; known to frequent depths of 400 to 500 fathoms; also has been seen basking at the surface.

Size:  once averaged 200 pounds, but over harvest has reduced size of commercially caught swordfish to average of 48 inches.

Remarks:  large swordfish are all females, males seldom exceeding 200 pounds; except when spawning, females believed to prefer water cooler than that favored by males; feeds on squid, octopus, and pelagic fishes of all kinds.

Florida record 612 lbs., 12 ozs.