Portuguese Seafood Stew that Reminds Us of Portugal

Directions

1. Place the shrimp shells in a large saucepan and cover with about 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered while you prepare the rest of the stew.
2. In a separate, large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil till shimmering. Add the onions and fennel with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add carrots, and continue to cook for a few more minutes till they begin to soften. Stir in garlic, and cook another minute or 2 till you can smell the garlic; it shouldn't brown.
3. Add potatoes, tomatoes, and wine. Strain the previously made shrimp stock into the Dutch oven. If vegetables are not completely covered, you can add more wine or water until they're all just covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered till potatoes can be easily pierced with a sharp knife, about 20 minutes. (If you are making this ahead, you can stop here and refrigerate the stew. Bring it back to boil and then reduce the heat to simmer before adding the seafood.)
4. Stir in the shrimp (Cut them in half if they are large.) and fish filets, being careful not to break them into too small of pieces. Stir in lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes, and crushed fennel seed. Let fish and shrimp poach in broth for 5 to 10 minutes till just cooked through. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
5. To serve, ladle the stew into a bowl. Drizzle a little good olive oil on the top, and sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds and Kalamata olives (if desired). Add additional Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes if you like more heat.