Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Rosie Makes Oyster Soup..

You know how the Hawthornes love their oysters.
We're just starting on our first bushel,
so be ready for lots of oyster preparations coming your way.

A cold front is moving through,
the wind is gusting,
it's starting to rain,
and we're under a tornado alert.
It's the perfect time to make oyster stew.

I'm writing down the recipe
as I make it up.
Rosie's mind can be a scary place at times.
Be forewarned.
I wrote down lettuce when I meant celery.
In my defense, I do know the difference,
but both words have a "c" in them,
so you can easily see how I could make that mistake.

Let me straighten this up a bit for you.

Oyster Soup

1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 potato, diced
1 shallot, minced
 1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
1 TB unsalted butter
1 TB oil
1 TB unsalted butter
2 TB flour
1 cup seafood stock
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup skim
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups freshly shucked oysters with likker
1 TB sherry

Pour boiling water over the shiitake mushrooms,
cover, and let sit for 15-20 minutes.

Heat the butter and oil over medium heat.
When the butter is foamy,
reduce heat a bit and add in 
prepared carrot, celery, potato, and shallot.
Sauté about 5 minutes,
then add in a TB of butter and 2 TB flour.
Cook the flour about a minute or two.
Add in the stock, slowly,
stirring to scrape up the goody bits from the bottom of the pan.
Keep stirring until thickened.
Add in cream and milk.
Heat through.
Taste test and season with salt and pepper.
Drain and chop the mushrooms and add to the pot.
I happened to have a cup of steamed oysters
and 1/2 cup freshly shucked oysters and likker.
I threw in the fresh oysters in first for a minute or so,
then I threw in the steamed oysters.
Taste test.
It needed the soupçon of sherry.
Serve with oyster crackers.

Velvety smooth, oystery goodness.
Oyster in every spoonful
and, if you're lucky,
you'll get the occasional little crab.
These are called crab slough oysters.
They contain tiny crabs which are not babies,
but fully-grown adult "oyster crabs."
These soft shell crabs use the oysters' shells for protection
and they feed by stealing the oysters' food.

Now, for the step-by-steps.
Potato, celery, carrot, shallot.

Dice and mince.

I had dried shiitake mushrooms
and dried black button mushrooms.

I poured boiling water over the mushrooms,
covered, and let it sit while I started on the soup.

I sautéed the potato, carrot, celery, and shallot
in butter and oil.
Add in the flour and cook stirring.
Slowly stir in seafood stock,
scraping up bottom bits,
until thickened.

Milk and cream in.
Keep just under a simmer
until potatoes are fork tender.

Squeeze moisture out of re-hydrated mushrooms and finely chop.
Add to soup.
I had some steamed oysters
from yesterday's afternoon snack.
But you could use all freshly shucked.
Look at all the little crabbies!

Mr. Hawthorne shucked a few extras.
Always save the erster likker.


Look at this little crab.
He's waving at me!

Ersters in.  Heat through.
Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Then swirl in that sherry.
I'm fond of what I call, "pockets of flavor."

I like a little extra ground pepper on mine.

You know what?
You could put some shredded iceberg lettuce on this
and it would really kick it up a notch.

I told you.
Rosie's mind is a scary place.

Toss in some oyster crackers.
Perfect for this weather.


We didn't eat all of this the first day.
Mr. H. just had this the second day.
"I don't know how, but this is even better the next day."

4 comments:

Rocquie said...

This soup looks divine. I am always happy to hear about your full enjoyment of the sea foods at your fingertips. I love oysters, but when they show up in the mountains, I am suspect.

I do the same thing writing recipes. I look at it later and think, why did I write that? But better that you wrote lettuce, than you had read "celery" and began chopping lettuce to saute.

Cheers, Rocquie

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Oh, Rocquie, I have partaken of the mountain oyster and it is dee-vine! This soup was delightful. Actually, some sliced lettuce on top would have been quite welcome. A welcome crunch! Thanks for reading and commenting. -Rosie-

Marilyn said...

Lettuce, celery... I'm thinking wine was also involved here. I know that can happen around here as well.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Rocquie, I realize now you meant something totally different. Sorry!

Mar, I think that would be safe to say. Anytime.