Title: Oyster & potato stew with crisp bacon *jb
 Categories: Soups, Shellfish, Main dish
      Yield: 8 Servings
 
      2 tb Unsalted butter
      2 md Onions, 1/4-inch dice
      1 lb Baking potatoes, peeled and
           --cut into 1/4-inch dice
      1 md Fennel bulb-trimmed, halved,
           --cored and cut 1/4-in. dice
      1 md Carrot, 1/4-inch dice
      3 c  Fish stock or 1 1/2 cups
           --bottled clam juice mixed
           --with 1 1/2 cups water
      2 c  Half-and-half
    1/2 lb Slab bacon, 1/4-inch dice
     24    Shucked oysters, with their
           --liquor
           Salt & freshly ground pepper
      2 tb Finely chopped fresh
           --flat-leaf parsley
 
  Melt the butter in a large non-reactive 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 heat to moderately-low and simmer gently until
  the vegetables are tender, about
       15    minutes.
  
  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 vegtables and liquid. (Make
  ahead: The stew can be refrigerated for up to 1 day).
  
  In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderately-high heat until
  browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
  
  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.
  
  Reprinted from Food and Wine Magazine - January 1997