Bacon Infused Carolina Fish Muddle Recipes

MUDDLE

Steps:

• Put the bacon in a kettle and cook, stirring often, until the pieces are rendered of fat and crisp. Remove and reserve the pieces.
• Cut the quartered onions crosswise into thin slices. There should be about 5 cups.
• To the fat in the kettle add onions, celery, garlic and orange rind. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.
• Cut the tomatoes into thin slices. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes; there should be about 2 cups. Add the tomatoes to the kettle and cook about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and fish or shrimp broth. Add the thyme, red pepper and salt. Let simmer about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender without being mushy.
• Add the fish and shrimp and let simmer about 1 minute. Add the scallops and stir.
• Break 1 egg at a time into a saucer and carefully slide the 4 eggs onto the simmering soup. Cover closely and let the soup simmer slowly until the whites are firm and the yolks remain runny. As the eggs cook, baste them carefully with some of the hot liquid. Immediately spoon 1 egg into each of 4 hot soup bowls. Spoon the soup with fish and potatoes over all.
• Blend bacon bits, scallions, basil and parsley together and garnish each serving with an equal portion of the mixture. Serve immediately

NORTH CAROLINA FISH MUDDLE

Steps:

• Clean and scale fish, cutting off head and tail. Place the fish, and its head with other ingredients for court-bouillon in a large pot. Cover with cold water and simmer just until meat flakes from bones.
• Remove pot from heat and let cool. Remove fish and pick out all fish bones. Set meat aside. Strain broth, discarding the solids. Return liquid to pot and reduce over high heat to about 1 cup.
• Meanwhile, to prepare muddle, heat a large pot over medium heat and put in salt pork and water. When pork cubes are edged with brown and fat is translucent, add chopped scallions and celery and cook until moist and limp.
• Pour in reduced broth and diced potatoes and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Then gently stir in fish and simmer 10 minutes more, tasting for seasoning, and adding salt and pepper as necessary. Ladle muddle into soup bowls, garnishing servings with minced fresh parsley. Serve at once, accompanied by lemon wedges and griddle cornbread (see recipe).