Classic Oyster Stew

Not classic oyster soup but pretty damn good. I make on Super Bowl Sunday every year.

My former Bosses wife worked for John Folse and introduced it to me. She always used select oysters from P and J's.

LINK

Oysters Rockefeller Soup
PREP TIME: 1 Hour
SERVES: 12


COMMENT:
This particular soup has become famous at Lafitte's Landing Restaurant and is requested on more occasions than all other soups combined. The idea to create a soup from the premier oyster dish of New Orleans was indeed a good idea.

INGREDIENTS:

6 dozen freshly shucked oysters
1 quart oyster liquid
1 cup melted butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
½ cup bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup garlic, diced
1 (10-ounce) package cooked frozen spinach, thawed
½ cup andouille sausage, finely diced
1 cup flour
1½ quarts chicken stock
1 pint heavy whipping cream
½ cup green onions, sliced
½ cup parsley, chopped
½ ounce Pernod or Herbsaint
salt and white pepper to taste
METHOD:
In a 2-gallon stockpot, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add spinach and andouille sausage. Using a metal spoon, chop spinach into vegetable mixture until all is well incorporated. Sprinkle in flour, blending well into spinach mixture. Stir constantly to avoid scorching. Add chicken stock and oyster liquid, one ladle at a time, until all is well blended. Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook thirty minutes. Add heavy whipping cream, oysters, green onions and parsley. Continue to cook until edges of oysters begin to curl. Season to taste using salt and white pepper. Stir in Pernod or Herbsaint. Adjust seasonings if necessary. This soup may be garnished with diced yams.

HINT: It is imperative that oyster liquid be used in this recipe if it is to be successful. Give your seafood supplier ample time to reserve this

quote:

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HINT: It is imperative that oyster liquid be used in this recipe if it is to be successful. Give your seafood supplier ample time to reserve this

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Forgive my ignorance, but is this just the liquid that comes with the oysters in the container or is this something different?

My recipe sounds a lot like what Balls says.

Oyster Soup or Chowder

Ingredients:

• 3 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth
• 2 pints oysters
• 2 Tablespoons brandy
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup celery. diced
• 2 cups Potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh corn, cut from cob (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic, fine mince
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 pinches red cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and broken into 3/4 inch pieces, with 1 Tablespoon of fat reserved


Directions:

1. Prep all ingredients and hold until needed. Drain oysters and reserve the liquid

2. Dice, celery, onion, potatoes, corn

3. Cook bacon. Reserve fat. Cut bacon into suitable sized pieces and set aside.

4. Sauté vegetables in 1 Tablespoon of bacon fat, in a large pot, until tender.

5. Add the chicken broth and bring to a low boil.

6. Add the potatoes to the pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Add water as needed to keep the liquid level at the top of the potatoes.

7. While the potatoes are cooking, melt two Tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan and add two Tablespoons of AP flour and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. This is intended to be a blond sauce, so the flour should not be browned. After 2 minutes, whisk in 2 cups of heavy cream and cook for an additional 2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Add Salt and 2 pinches of red Cayenne pepper (to taste), and stir until the seasoning is incorporated.

8. Add the béchamel sauce to the chowder pot and stir gently. Add oyster liquid and water as needed to obtain the desired thickness.

9. Turn off heat, add brandy, corn and oysters and place a lid on the pot. They will cook in the heat of the soup in a few minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

10. Serve in a suitable bowl, topped with bacon pieces.