Ingredients

　　1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (once around the pan)

　　5 slices bacon, chopped

　　1 small yellow onion, chopped

　　2 celery ribs and their greens, finely chopped

　　4 sprigs fresh thyme

　　2 garlic cloves, chopped

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 tablespoons flour

　　1 small baking potato, peeled and thinly sliced

　　1 quart chicken stock or broth

　　1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

　　1 8-ounce bottle clam juice

　　2 pounds lean, flaky fish such as cod, haddock, halibut, monkfish, or tilapia, skinned and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces

　　Hot sauce, to taste

　　3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

　　Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove the crispy bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and reserve. Add the onion, celery, thyme sprigs, garlic, and salt and pepper to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes, mixing it every now and then. Add the flour to the vegetables, stirring to distribute, and cook for 1 minute. Add the thinly sliced potato, then whisk in the chicken stock, heavy cream, and clam juice. Bring the mixture up to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the fish and continue to gently simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down a little if the pot is boiling rather than simmering. Add the desired amount of hot sauce and taste for seasoning; add more salt and pepper accordingly. To serve, carefully ladle the soup into bowls, trying not to break up the fish too much. Garnish each bowl with a little of the reserved crispy bacon and some chopped parsley. Serve the soup alongside a simple mixed green salad with your favorite salad dressing.

　　Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals