I could call this Groundhog Day Fish Stew. Some lessons in life have to be learned over and over and over. One of those lessons is to focus when it matters. What matters a lot in life is whether you use three tablespoons of cayenne pepper or three tablespoons of paprika. While talking to my wife last night while she and I were preparing dinner, I focused on her and not the stew. Fortunately I recognized the error before adding the fish. Re-dicing the celery and the onions felt like Groundhog Day.
The idea for this recipe came from a very unlikely source and needed substantial modification eg leaving out three cups of heavy cream. It turned out to be maybe the best fish stew I have ever tasted. It takes time to prepare --- it is more of a "hang out in the kitchen" weekend dish.
Make all of it and freeze the leftovers taking any shellfish out of the shells.
Directions
In olive oil, saute the celery, onion, turkey bacon, and thyme for about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, dill, cayenne, paprika, Tabasco, Worcestershire, bay leaf, sherry and cook briefly. Add the fish and prawns. Cook briefly. Add the fish stock and bring it to a simmer. Add the shell fish and the potatoes. Bring back to a simmer, cover, and cook until the shells open. Mussels seem to open faster than clams so maybe you could add those first. Maybe I just had reluctant clams. Regardless, discard unopened shellfish and the bay leaf before serving. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add lemon juice and parsley. Serve hot with a crusty whole grain bread and a big salad.