Olive-Oil-Poached Fish With Pasta

• 6 oysters
• 2 large or 4 medium squids, cleaned and cut up
• 1/2 cup good olive oil, plus some for garnish
• 4 to 8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• Several sprigs of thyme
• 1/4 to 1/2 pound striped bass, preferably a strip of belly
• 1/4 to 1/2 pound halibut
• 1/4 to 1/2 pound swordfish
• 2 to 4 scallops
• Salt and pepper
• Lemon wedges
• Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
• 20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Pinch cayenne, optional
• 1 pound cut pasta, like rigatoni
• 3/4 cup shredded basil, or more

1. Steam the oysters in a little water, 1/4 inch or less, just until theyre easy to open.
2. When theyre cool enough to handle, open them and cut the meats in half.
3. Meanwhile, cook the squids in the same liquid just until opaque, less than 2 minutes.
4. Take them out with a slotted spoon and reserve the liquid.
5. Turn off the heat.
6. Set a big pot of water to boil for the pasta and salt it.
7. In a broad skillet, add the olive oil, garlic and thyme and turn the heat to medium-low.
8. Gently cook all the fish and scallops in the oil, in batches if necessary, flipping and turning as needed.
9. Dont rush and dont worry about browning anything; just cook until each piece is tender, which will be different for each fish, but not more than 10 minutes for any.
10. Do not overcook.
11. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the garlic behind.
12. (Discard the thyme.)
13. Season with salt and pepper and put on a platter with the lemon wedges and chopped parsley.
14. Drizzle with oil.
15. Add the tomatoes and cayenne to the oil and cook at a lively pace, stirring occasionally, until saucy, 10 to 12 minutes.
16. Start the pasta in the meantime.
17. When the tomatoes are ready, stir in the reserved cooking liquid, oysters and squid and cook a bit longer, another 3 or 4 minutes.
18. Taste and season as needed.
19. When the pasta is almost tender, drain it and toss it with the sauce and the basil; cook another minute or so until the pasta is ready.
20. Serve the pasta in bowls, and pass plates on the side for the fish.

oysters, squids, olive oil, garlic, thyme, bass, swordfish, salt, lemon wedges, parsley, tomatoes, cayenne, pasta, basil

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12674 (may not work)