Oyster and Potato Stew with Crisp Bacon

• Recipe by Mireille Guiliano

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 2 medium onions, cut into 1/4 -inch dice
3. 1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 -inch dice
4. 1 medium fennel bulb--trimmed, halved, cored and cut into 1/4 -inch dice
5. 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4 -inch dice
6. 3 cups fish stock or 1 1/2 cups bottled clam juice mixed with 1 1/2 cups water
7. 2 cups half-and-half
8. 1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/4 -inch dice
9. 2 dozen shucked oysters, with their liquor
10. Salt and freshly ground pepper
11. 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large nonreactive saucepan. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the potatoes, fennel, carrot, fish stock and half-and-half, reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Strain the stew into a bowl; set aside 1 1/2 cups of the vegetables. Transfer the remaining vegetables along with 2 cups of the liquid to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and stir in the reserved vegetables and liquid. 
3. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. 
4. Rewarm the stew over moderate heat. Add the oysters with their liquor and the bacon and cook until the oysters are just firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Transfer to shallow soup plates and serve at once.

Make Ahead

The stew can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.