Oyster Stew
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter, cubed
- 4 tbsp flour
- 4 cups light cream
- 3 cups milk
- 6-8 slices bacon, cut in ½” pieces (raw bacon is not easy to cut - Chef Steve's tip: lay bacon slices out separately on a plate and place in freezer for about 15 minutes - this will result in a nice clean and even cut!)
- ½ cup shallots, chopped
- 1½ tsp garlic, minced
- 1 lb fresh oysters with their liquor (juice)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp sea salt (if needed)
Garnish & Serving Suggestions
- fried leeks
- oyster crackers
- Tabasco sauce
How-to
Prepare Cream Base
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, slowly melt butter, whisking often so it will not burn
- Whisk in flour slowly to prevent clumps. Cook mixture 1 minute, but don't allow it to gain color
- Slowly whisk in light cream and milk. Allow to simmer and thicken over medium heat, 15-20 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes to keep a smooth consistency
Cook Bacon, Shallots, Garlic & Oysters
- While sauce is cooking, in a separate medium saucepan over medium heat, add bacon pieces and allow to cook and render, about 7-10 minutes or until brown
- Add shallots and stir until translucent, about 3 minutes
- Add garlic and saute 2 minutes
- Add oysters with their liquor (juice) and stir until the edges of the oysters start to curl, 2-4 minutes
Add Cream Base & Spices
- When milk mixture has reached its desired consistency (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon), whisk into the saucepan of aromatics and oysters
- Season with cayenne pepper. Reduce heat to low, and allow all elements to simmer and combine flavors, about 15 minutes
- Season with ¼ tsp black pepper and mix well
- Taste and, only if needed, add ¼ tsp sea salt. Do this last, as the oysters will have a natural saltiness, and you don’t want to risk over salting
- Let simmer 10 more minutes and it's ready to serve