Oyster Stew For One Or Two Recipes

VIRGINIA OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Place milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a medium saucepan or soup pot. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, just until hot (about 10 minutes). Do not boil.
• In a separate skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add the oysters, liquor and Worcestershire sauce. Sauté until the edge of the oysters just begin to curl (2-3 minutes). Transfer the oyster mixture to the pot of milk, and cook over medium-low heat for about 2 more minutes. Do not boil.
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chives or paprika, if desired.

GRANDMA'S OYSTER SOUP

Steps:

• Pour oyster juice through a sieve to remove grit; reserve juice for soup .
• Rinse oysters in cold water in colander to remove any broken shells.
• Melt butter in a large sauce pan or soup pot over low heat. Add oysters and gently warm for a few minutes.
• Add milk and oyster juice. Continue to heat slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• When the broth is warm (not scalded), season slowly with salt and pepper. Taste and continue to season until the milk broth is flavorful.
• Serve with crackers or oyster crackers.

OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the celery and shallots until shallots are tender.
• Pour half-and-half into a large pot over medium-high heat. Mix in the 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 cayenne pepper. Stir continuously until the oysters curl at the ends. When the oysters curl the stew is finished cooking; turn off the heat and serve.

OYSTER STEW FOR ONE OR TWO

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium-high heat; cook and stir the celery and garlic in the butter until the celery is soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the flour and stir, scraping the bottom of pan until flour is lightly toasted. Slowly add the milk and half-and-half to the roux, stirring constantly. Stir the onion powder, parsley, and salt into the mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue cooking and stirring until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the oysters with the liquid from the container to the mixture; cook until the edges of the oysters curl, about 5 minutes more. Season with pepper just before serving.

OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Heat butter in saucepan and add celery and onion. Cook, stirring, without browning, about 5 minutes.
• Add milk and cream and bring to the simmer. Add Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, paprika, salt and pepper.
• Add oysters with their liquor and let simmer about three minutes or until oysters start to curl. Do not overcook or oysters will toughen. Serve in heated soup bowls with equal portions of parsley sprinkled on top.

CHESAPEAKE OYSTER STEW FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Bring water to boil in the bottom half of a double boiler.
• Lightly toast the two slices of bread.
• Remove the bread slices from the oven and spread with the butter/anchovy mixture.
• While the bread is toasting, bring water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler.
• When the water is boiling, place the top of the double boiler on the bottom, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the top (begins to sound like gibberish).
• Add one tablespoon of butter, the oysters, the oyster liquor, the celery, Worcestershire sauce and sherry. Stir constantly and do not allow the stew to boil.
• As soon as the edges of the oysters start to curl, add the cream and stir.
• Place the buttered bread in the oven and toast till anchovy butter is melted and 'crostinis' start to brown.
• When stew is close to, but NOT boiling, remove from heat, remove and discard celery and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Pour into two bowls.
• Divide the remaining tablespoon of butter between the two bowls and garnish with paprika.
• Serve with anchovy toasts.
• While you are dishing out the stew, have your guest open the champagne.

OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Heat butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and celery; cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Add milk, cream, salt, cayenne, white pepper, and liquor. Bring just to a boil; cook, barely simmering, 5 minutes. Add oysters; cook just until edges curl, 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with paprika; hot sauce, if using; and crackers. Serve.