I tried a new fish stew recipe last weekend that is mighty good on these cold, rainy fall days. If you like New England style chowder, you will like this fish stew.

Brown a couple of strips of bacon in a pot. Remove the bacon and cook a large chopped onion in the grease until clear. Add three cups of chopped potatoes and the crumbled up bacon, cover with water and cook for about 15 minutes. Add two pounds of bass or crappie filets cut into chunks, half a stick of butter, salt and pepper and cook until the fish and potatoes are done. Add 16 ounces of evaporated milk and stir until hot.

Like all fish and stew, this is even better fixed ahead and warmed back up. Add a chopped stick of celery and a carrot for more flavor. Since I am allergic to milk, I used rice milk rather than evaporated milk. It is not as rich and good, but I like the added sweetness and rice flavor. You can use frozen hash browns for the chopped potatoes.

If you catch some hybrids, they will be too strong for this mild chowder. Bass or crappie are much better. Strong oily fish like hybrids are better in tomato based stews.