North Carolina Fish Muddle Food

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).

BACON-INFUSED CAROLINA FISH MUDDLE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring constantly, until pink. Add 3 cups water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently until liquid is reduced to 2 cups. Strain stock, discarding shells. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill stock and shrimp separately.
• Tie thyme sprigs and bay leaves into a bundle with kitchen twine; set aside. Pulse tomatoes with juices in a food processor until chunky purée forms; set aside. Heat bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until some of fat is rendered and bacon is just beginning to crisp, 10-15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings for croutons.
• Add celery, carrots, onions, and leek to pot. Increase heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, and herb bundle; cook for 2 minutes. Add reserved tomato purée; cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes. Add shrimp stock (or, if omitting the first step, add 2 cups fish stock or clam juice) and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes and cooked bacon and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Season stew with salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce, if desired.
• Add fish and shrimp; bring to a gentle simmer. Cover; cook until fish and shrimp are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush bacon fat onto toast to make croutons. Ladle muddle into bowls over grits or rice, sprinkle with parsley, and garnish each bowl with a crouton.

WILLIAMSBURG SEAFOOD MUDDLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large kettle or soup pot over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes; add the garlic, stir, and sauté 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes and potatoes, stir; reduce the heat to medium low then cover and simmer until the potatoes are just softened, about 10 minutes (make sure to check it to make sure it doesn't scorch, you can add a few tablespoons of fish stock to keep it safe).
• Add the fish stock, increase the temperature to high, and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the saffron and simmer until the potatoes are cooked completely through, about 10-15 minutes.
• Add the scrubbed clams and cook until they begin to open, about 5 minutes.
• Add the fish, shrimp, and mussels and cook until the shrimp is pink and the mussels are opened, about 10 minutes.
• Discard any clams or mussels which did not fully open, check seasoning and adjust as necessary (with salt and pepper).
• Serve hot in warmed bowls, garnished with chopped parsley.
• Note: if you don't have saffron, you can leave it out - but it's more authentic with it.
• Also, for a good fish stock, check White Wine Fish Stock recipe #51186.