Name: Bacon-Infused Carolina Fish Muddle
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 1 pound wild American shrimp, peeled, deveined, shells reserved; 8 sprigs thyme; 4 bay leaves; 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes with juices; 1 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2" cubes, or thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1/2" strips; 4 celery stalks, finely chopped; 3 carrots, finely chopped; 2 onions, finely chopped; 1 leek (white and pale-green parts only), finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1/2 jalapeño (with seeds), finely chopped; 1 pound new potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2" cubes; Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper; Hot pepper sauce (such as Cholula or Tabasco; optional); 1 pound black or striped bass fillet, cut into 1"-2" pieces; 1 pound black or red grouper fillet, cut into 1"-2" pieces; 6 slices baguette, toasted; 6 cups cooked stone-ground grits or rice; Chopped flat-leaf parsley

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Bacon-Infused Carolina Fish MuddleDitte Isager

There are two keys to making this rich, smoky stew as good as it can be: Enhance the flavor of the broth with shrimp shells, and gently simmer the shrimp and fish so as not to overcook them. If you want to skip the homemade shrimp stock, substitute 2 cups of fish stock from your fishmonger or 2 cups of bottled clam juice.

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