Oyster stew with butter, cream, celery, onion and Pernod
Author:Tim
Prep Time:45
Cook Time:35
Total Time:1 hour 20 minutes
Yield:4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
36 –48 freshly shucked oysters – with their liquor
1 slice bacon – rendered for the fat, eat the bacon while cooking
1 TBL unsalted butter
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced yellow onion – packed
1/2 TBL smoked paprika
1 TBL tomato paste
1/2 tsp creole seasoning
1–1/2 TBL worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Pernod liqueur
1 cup clam juice – strained
2 cups heavy cream
Chives – garnish
Buttered toast or saltine crackers
Hot Sauce – optional
Instructions
Place the cream in a small saucepot to warm over lowest heat before adding to the stew. This will help prevent curdling.
Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat to render the fat. Remove the bacon and eat it! We only want the fat in the stew
Add the butter, creole seasoning, celery, onion, paprika and tomato paste Stir together over medium-low heat, being careful not to scorch the ingredients for 6 minutes. When the onions become transparent add the reserved oyster liquor and clam juice. Bring back to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes
Drizzle in the warm cream while stirring, then the pernod. Simmer for another 9-10 minutes, until the stew slightly thickens. Add the oysters and cook until it returns to a simmer.
Remove from heat, season with the worcestershire sauce, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
Garnish with chives and serve with buttered, toasted bread or saltines and hot sauce
Notes
Don’t overcook the oysters, you want them poached and soft
(3) dozen oysters are a minimum for this dish. You can never have too many oysters and a full dozen per serving is even better