Your Favorite Oyster Soup, Stew, Bisque...Recipes

From the Recipe Book, this is a nice oyster stew, also.

Oyster Stew ...A Good Method
Mods...you can add a shot or two of Worcestershire sauce and/ or a bit of chicken base if you wish.
2 dozen shucked oysters and their liquid
2 shallots, minced
4 Tbs celery, minced
1/2 Tbs garlic, minced
4 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
1 quart half n half
2 medium red or gold potatoes, finely diced
Salt, black and red pepper taste
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
Procedure
1 Shuck your damn oysters...fresh is best. Place in a container with reserved liquid.
2 Melt the butter on med low heat; add the onion and celery, sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, go a minute, and then whisk in the flour.
3 Do not brown the roux. Immediately add the oyster liquid, strained in a wire strainer. Whisk. Add the potatoes, whisk. Add the cream...wait for it...whisk. Simmer 10 minutes, whisking as your heart desires. Season to taste with fresh black pepper, red pepper, and a good sea salt. Cut the heat, add the oysters, adjust seasonings if needed. Garnish with a bit of parsley.
Source: OTIS2

Yep...the potatoes take it toward a chowder. I did one over the holidays that was much more the traditional "oyster soup style"...I'll see if I can find it.

Tweak the Julia recipe. Jazz it up.

I saw that one, too, and was looking at it. Glad to know it's a good one. I'd have to tweak it, too.

BR, Julia's is definitely a nice simple version which can be tinkered with if desired.

This is one I just looked at.

LINK

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Yep...the potatoes take it toward a chowder.

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Oyster crackers or just plain old saltines?

This was lunch today. It's a small pleasure to sit at the bar and watch them go through the process for each new bowl. For the most part it is the same guys who have been behind the counter for years and years. Nice bunch.

You could add to this recipe - not sure you would be improving it though...

The Grand Central Oyster Bar. Used to go at least every couple of weeks in winter for a bowl of New England, a pan roast or oyster stew. Stopped in today by sheer chance after not having gone for almost a year and immediately got a nod and quick catch up from my regular counter man.

NYC can be a really really small place.

I do it as we have done it in South Georgia for generations. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a sauce pan. Once melted, turn heat down to medium. Add oysters without the juice. Roll around in the butter and simmer until the edges start to curl. Add 1/2 heavy cream, 1/2 milk until covered by about 2 inches. Couple of shakes of salt, and lots of cracked black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Add the leftover oyster "juice". Simmer for about 30 minutes. Break up saltines and add to the bowl.

How would you do this for a large group? I'm not suggesting you are, just wondering how.


Larger pot, up the ingredient's quantities and pour into a serving bowl?