Cioppino served with Sourdough Bread

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped fennel
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 (28-ounce) can crushed plum tomatoes and their juices
2 cups fish stock
1 whole Dungeness crab, quartered
1 pound clams, well scrubbed and de-bearded
1 pound mussels, well scrubbed and de-bearded
1 pound firm fish, such as halibut or snapper, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pint oysters and their juices, picked over for shell
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped green onions, green tops only
Sourdough bread, accompaniment

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