Oyster Stew

Recipe Categories : | Oysters | Seafood | MAIN INDEX |

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

• 2 cups small oysters, with their liquor
• ½ - ¾ cup clam juice or chicken stock
• 2 slices raw bacon, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ½ cup diced onion
• ½ cup thinly sliced celery
• ½ cup small-diced carrot
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• ½ cup dry or medium-dry sherry
• ½ tspn dry thyme
• ¼ - ½ tspn Tabasco
• 1 cup cooked red potatoes, large-diced or quartered
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1¼ cups half-and-half
• ¾ tspn salt or to taste
• ¼ tspn pepper or to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation and Cooking Instructions :

1. Drain the oysters, reserving the liquor, and set aside.
2. Measure the oyster liquor and add the clam juice or chicken stock to make ¾ cup total. Set aside.
3. In a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté the bacon over medium-high heat until about half cooked, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms, onion, celery, carrot and red pepper and reduce the heat to medium. Sauté the vegetable mixture about 4 minutes, stirring often.
5. Stir in the sherry and thyme, followed by the oyster liquor mixture, Tabasco and potatoes. Raise the heat and bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir the cornstarch into the half-and-half and whisk this mixture into the gently boiling stew. Add the oysters immediately. Heat just until the oysters get plump and their edges are ruffled, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.