• 4 slices bacon
• 3 medium onions, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups bottled clam broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ pound fresh grouper, red snapper, or other nonoily white fish fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
• ¼ pound fresh sea scallops, quartered

In a large, heavy pot, fry the bacon over moderate heat till crisp, drain on paper towels, crumble, and reserve. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, till very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, clam broth, water, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt and pepper, thyme, and bay leaf, bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook 1 hour.

Add the grouper, shrimp, and scallops, return to a simmer, and cook till the fish begins to flake, about 8 minutes. Serve the muddle in deep soup bowls with crumbled bacon sprinkled over the top of each portion.