Oyster Stew

 

Ingredients

• ▢3 dozen whole oysters, or pre-shucked
• ▢3 tablespoons good unsalted butter
• ▢1/2 cup finely minced shallot or yellow onion and diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢Salt
• ▢1/2 cup heavy cream
• ▢1/4 teaspoon Zatarian's liquid crab boil (optional) or  old bay season
• ▢black or white pepper, to taste
• ▢1/4 cup minced chives
• ▢Oyster crackers (optional)
• Bone broth and clam juice
• 
  

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set the oysters on a cooling rack set on a baking sheet. Heat the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Roast the oysters and cook the onions, celery and garlic in the butter slowly. It important to cook the onions slowly and gently so they soften fully, but do not brown. You might want to cover the pot and cook them on low heat while you shuck the oysters.
• If you are using pre-shucked oysters, or you just shuck raw oysters normally, just make sure the onions cook slow and at least 10 minutes, up to 20. Slow and low is the key here. Salt them as they cook.
• While this is happening, strain the oyster liquor through a sieve with a paper towel set inside. Save this liquor, as it's the essence of the stew.
• When the oysters and onions & celery are ready, add the oysters and the liquor and the cream to the pot. You might need maybe a cup or two of bone broth to fill things out, or you can add in extra oyster liquor, clam juice or fish stock here.
• Season the stew with the pepper and the crab boil or a pinch of cayenne. Let this simmer 5 minutes, then stir in the chives and serve. Oyster crackers are a traditional garnish, and I highly recommend them if this is your main meal.