Oyster Stew

Soups & Stews

Recipe courtesy of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

Serves 8

Ingredients: 
  • 5 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 pint oysters with their liquor, jarred or freshly shucked, about 2 dozen*
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 celery stalks, minced
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion, minced
  • 1¾ cup milk
  • 1/4 cup cream (can use all milk if you want)
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • Splash of Tabasco, Crystal, or other hot sauce
  • Salt (careful oysters may be briney)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup parsley, minced

*Notes: You may be able to find refrigerated jarred oysters (without shells) near the seafood counter at your local grocery store. If you use freshly shucked oysters, be sure to save the juice, or liquor, that comes out of the shells. You will need it for the stew. 

Oyster Stew

Louisiana Oyster Stew

Click image to enlarge

Method: 

Strain the oyster juice through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl to remove any grit. Reserve the juices.

Rinse the oysters well, under cold water. Put them in a bowl.

Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture for a few minutes, stirring often. When the roux turns the color of coffee-with-cream, stir in the celery and onions. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the oyster juice and any juices the oysters in the bowl have released. The flour in the roux will absorb the liquid and turn into a paste. Slowly add the milk and cream, stirring to incorporate as you pour them in. Add a healthy splash or two of hot sauce, to taste. Heat the soup to steamy, but below a simmer, over low heat, cook for 15 minutes. (Do not let the soup boil!) If you are working with large oysters, you may want to chop them into bite-sized pieces. Add the oysters and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters just begin to curl.

Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or sliced green onions.

Serve hot with crackers.


 

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Comments

<p>hey! When do you add the wine or do you just drink it????????</p>

<p>Byron, I'm out of town and don't have access to the recipe files. &nbsp;It's a nominal amount of wine, so add it just before you add the oysters, or just drink it!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Best Regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher

Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

I have used bottled clam juice in stew and gumbos for added flavor.