Old Fashioned Oyster Stew

2 pints shucked oysters with their liquor*
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups milk (a little added cream may be added to make it richer)
1 or 2 dashes Tabasco sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Minced parsley, sliced chives, or sliced green onions
Butter

The most important factors in preparing Oyster Stew are to NOT BOIL the milk and DO NOT OVERCOOK the oysters.

Drain the oysters, reserving their liquor. NOTE: I like to strain the oyster liquor with a fine strainer to remove any sand.

In a large pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add oysters; simmer very gently for about 2 to 4 minutes or until the edges of the oysters curl.

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan over low heat, slowly heat the milk, cream, and oyster liquor (do not boil). Slowly add the milk to the oysters, stirring gently. Season with Tabasco, salt and pepper.

Remove from heat. Serve in warm soup bowls and garnish each bowl with parsley, chives, or green onions and a generous pat of butter.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.


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Locally Grown Oyster Stew by: Oysterman

Here are two excellent Christmas Oyster Stew recipies from our friend Oysterman on the Chesapeake Bay.

http://oysterloversparadise.blogspot.com/2008/12/locally-grown-oyster-stew-christmas-eve.html.

Happy Holidays!!!

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Famous Christmas Oyster Stew

By: Cremon (from Recipie Zaar)

Oysterman says: "I made this stew and it was incredible. It is a nice twist on an old recipie. Try it this year"!



Cremon: For years, its been a tradition in my family to eat oyster stew at the start of dinner Christmas night (not Christmas eve). The celery salt and paprika give the stew that red and green Christmas color too. Oyster stew always makes me think of Christmas no matter where or when I eat it. We always had 10 or more people at the table and there were never leftovers of this stew. I still love this recipe and it is my favorite - I've never had anything close, even at fine restaurants.

SERVES 10 -12 (change servings and units)
Change to: Servings US Metric

Ingredients:

2 cups butter, separated
1 1/2 cups finely minced celery
5 tablespoons finely minced shallots
1 gallon half-and-half
2 (32 ounce) containers fresh shucked oysters, undrained
salt & fresh ground pepper (at least 2 round tablespoons)
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
celery salt
10-12 pinches paprika, 1 pinch per bowl

Directions:

Melt 2 sticks of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add the celery and shallots and saute until the shallots are translucent.

Pour half-and-half into a large pot over medium-high heat.

Mix in 2 sticks of butter, celery, and shallot mixture.

Stir continuously.

When the mixture is almost boiling, pour the oysters and their liquid into the pot.

Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce.

Stir continuously until the oysters curl at the ends. When the oysters curl the stew is finished cooking; turn off the heat and serve.

Add celery salt and paprika to each bowl along with a 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoon square of butter from the remaining sticks.

Happy Holidays!

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WATERMAN'S SEAFOOD CHOWDER

This is a fantastic recipie from Cantler's waterfront restaurant and crab house. I recommend DOUBLING the amount of oysters used. If you are ever in Anapolis, stop by Cantler's. (unsolicited plug - send me a t-shirt).




1 pound Maryland rockfish fillets, cut into cubes
1 pound Maryland crabmeat, fresh or pasteurized
1 pint Maryland oysters, standards
slices bacon
1 cup onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 clove garlic
1 10 oz can Irish potatoes
1 8 oz jar clam juice
1 cup white wine
1 quart water
1 can 14oz chicken broth
2 tablespoons parsley
1 10 oz can tomatoes
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning
1 lb bag frozen corn
1 lb bag frozen carrots
salt and pepper, to taste

In large pot, cook bacon until crisp, set aside, drain grease. In same pot, sauté onion, celery, and garlic until soft. Do not brown. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until vegetables are tender, add seafood. Simmer and serve.

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Famous Oyster Bisque

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup rice, uncooked
4 cups bottled clam juice
1/4 cup butter
2 dozen oysters
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 cups whipping or heavy cream
3 tablespoons brandy or Cognac
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION:
Put rice and clam juice in a saucepan. Cover and cook until rice is tender. Add butter. Blend the mixture until smooth or force through a sieve.
Finely chop about 16 of the oysters and add to the rice mixture with their liquid. Add Tabasco sauce. Add the cream and heat just to the boiling point. Add remaining whole oysters and heat until the edges curl. Add brandy or Cognac and heat 1 minute longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into serving dishes, placing 1 or 2 whole oysters in each bowl or cup. Garnish with chopped celery.
Serves 6 to 8, depending on size of servings.
.
Enjoy!

CREOLE OYSTER SOUP

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter
1/2 small onion
1 rib celery
3 cloves garlic
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
2 dozen fresh shucked oysters
1 pint oyster liquor
1 cup canned chicken broth
1 quart Half-N-Half
6-8 pats of butter
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 cups oyster crackers

In a 12-inch skillet, melt down the butter over medium-high heat and sauté onion, celery and garlic until the pureed mixture is smooth (which should take about five minutes). Then, whisk in the seafood seasoning, white pepper, paprika and thyme, taking care to make certain it all thoroughly combines in the butter base. Add the oysters, the oyster liquor, and the chicken broth and swoosh everything around a couple of times. Then, when the oyster edges curl, reduce the fire to low and continue to simmer the contents of the skillet for about four minutes more. Meanwhile, pour the Half-N-Half cream into the top of a large double boiler. Then, place it over simmering water and cook until the cream becomes very hot. (This step prevents curdling.) Next, stir into the cream all the oysters and oyster liquids and continue to heat the soup in the double boiler for another 15 minutes. When you're ready to eat, ladle the chopped oysters and the creamed soup into large bowls. Then top each bowl with a pat of butter and a dash of paprika. When the butter melts, garnish the soup with a sprinkling of minced parsley and a handful of oyster crackers and serve piping hot.

Yum Yum Yum

http://www.OysterLoversParadise.blogspot.com