Oyster Stew with Rosemary Croutons

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon diced
• 1 cup celery diced finely
• 16 ounce bottled clam juice 
• 12 servings rosemary croutons 
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 3 cups half-and-half 
• 1 cup onion diced finely
• 2 pints dozens oysters fresh undrained
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 cup vermouth 

Equipment

• bowl
• whisk
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Cook first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium heat 12 minutes or until onion and celery are tender.
2. Add vermouth, and simmer 1 minute.
3. Add oysters.
4. Whisk together flour and clam juice in a small bowl; whisk into soup. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 1 minute or until oyster edges begin to curl. Reduce heat to medium-low; add half-and-half and next 4 ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat until thoroughly heated. (Do not boil.)
5. Serve with Rosemary Croutons.
6. Fix it Faster: Use prechopped fresh celery and onion that's now available in most grocery store produce departments.