Conch Chowder

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 ounces slab bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, seeded, deribbed and chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, seeded, deribbed and chopped
• 1/2 yellow pepper, seeded, deribbed and chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded, deribbed and chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deribbed and chopped
• 4 small new potatoes, peeled, diced and placed in cold water to prevent discoloration
• 1 1/2 cups canned tomato puree
• 1 1/2 cups Italian canned whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups fish stock
• 2 1/2 cups clam juice
• 1 pound cleaned and ground conch meat; to grind, thaw the meat and place in a food processor or blender and pulse (see note)
• Bouquet garni (1 sprig each thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil tied in a cheesecloth)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Tabasco sauce to taste

1. In a stockpot, heat the olive oil and render the bacon.
2. Add all ingredients up to (but not including) the potatoes.
3. Cook vegetables over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
4. Add the potatoes, tomato puree and chopped tomatoes.
5. Reduce heat to very low.
6. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat fish stock and clam juice until simmering.
7. Add the ground conch, stirring vigorously so the conch doesn't clump up.
8. Bring to a boil, then strain the liquid into the other pot.
9. Set aside the conch.
10. Add bouquet garni, bay leaf and red pepper flakes and simmer the soup until the potatoes are cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes.
11. Remove bouquet garni.
12. Add conch and Tabasco sauce to taste.

olive oil, bacon, onion, stalks celery, carrot, green pepper, red pepper, yellow pepper, pepper, pepper, potatoes, tomato puree, italian canned whole tomatoes, fish stock, clam juice, place, bouquet garni, bay leaf, red pepper, tabasco sauce

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10859 (may not work)