Oyster Fennel Soup

Recipe Categories : | All Soups | Seafood Soups | Oysters | Fennel | MAIN INDEX |

Serves : 8

Ingredients :

• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1¼ cups onion, small dice
• ¾ cup fennel bulb, small dice
• ¾ cup celery, small dice
• 1½ tspn minced garlic
• 1 cup Herbsaint, Pernod, Ricard or other anise liqueur
• 3 tbsp flour
• ½ gallon oyster liquor or fish stock
• Salt and freshly ground white (or black) pepper, to taste

• 48 medium shucked oysters, 6 per serving
• 1 cup heavy cream (to add to upon reheating the entire batch)
• 2 tbsp cup chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation and Cooking Instructions :

1. For soup base : Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions, fennel and celery, cooking slowly until tender. Do not color. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Herbsaint or pastis carefully because it will flame. Stir constantly while the liquor burns off to prevent it from burning the vegetables.
2. When flame dies, dust he vegetables with flour and stir for 2-3 minutes while the flour cooks out. Add the oyster liquor. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Hold warm for immediate service, or cool quickly and store properly.
3. To finish soup : Heat 8 oz of soup base per person until boiling, and add 6 oysters each. Cook until they just begin to curl, add a shot of cream, herbs and season to taste.