I don’t subscribe to the belief that everything is better with bacon, but small amounts of meat do often improve many dishes — even those with fish. While there are plenty of classic fish stews that don’t use meat for flavoring, including bouillabaisse, there are also many that do. (Clam chowder, anyone?) Think about it: When you’re making stew, everything is fair game.

Generally speaking, fish stews are easy to make and quicker than their meat-based brethren. Even making your own fish stock won’t slow you down, because few fish take more than several minutes to cook.

Try, for example, the brilliantly simple dish of rice and aromatics cooked in fish stock, with sausage stirred in to give the lean broth a fatty jolt. If you can’t find whiting, as I suggest here, use other small, whole fish or make a regular fish stock with heads and bones and add chunks of flaky white fish, like cod or halibut, during the last few minutes of cooking. The effect will be exactly the same.

Then there’s the riff on a classic choucroute garni — usually a mess of smoked and fresh meats with sauerkraut — made primarily with fish, but with the addition of ham or bacon. Smoked fish is key here; salmon adds beautiful richness and color, and any white fillet completes the picture. Serve this dish with buttered rye croutons instead of the traditional boiled potatoes for more flavor and crunch.