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Oyster Bisque

Source of Recipe


From "Essentials of Southern Cooking" by Damon Lee Fowler



List of Ingredients



• 2 pints shucked oysters, with their liquor
  
• 1 small yellow onion, trimmed, split lengthwise, and minced
  
• 2 large ribs celery, strung and minced
  
• 1 blade mace or whole nutmeg in a grater
  
• Salt and whole black pepper in a pepper mill
  
• Ground cayenne
  
• 4 cups whole milk
  
• 2 cups heavy cream
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  
• 8 thin slices lemon
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  
• 8 tablespoons medium-dry sherry or Madeira
  
• 1 cup Buttered Croutons
  






Instructions



1. Pick over the oysters for bits of shell. Strain their liquor into a large saucepan and add the onion, celery, mace, or a generous grating of nutmeg, a little salt, a generous grinding of pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the onion and celery are softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the oysters and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the gills begin to curl, about 2 to 4 minutes. Lift out the oysters and vegetables with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a colander set over a bowl. Strain their broth and return it to the pot. When the oysters are cool enough to handle, mince them fine. Some cooks leave half the oysters whole, and I prefer it that way. Add any broth that has drained from them to the liquid in the pot.
   
   
2. Bring the broth back to a simmer over medium heat. Add the milk and cream and let it come back to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring often, until bubbly and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 2 cups of the broth and milk and cook, stirring constantly, until it is quite thick. Gradually stir this into the remaining broth and milk, bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thick, about 5 minutes.
   
   
3. Add the minced oysters, vegetables, and Worcestershire; taste and adjust the seasonings, then let it heat through. If you've left some oysters whole, add them last and let them just warm through. Serve at once, with a slice of lemon and sprinkling of parsley over each serving, passing sherry or Madeira and croutons separately.
   
   Serves 8
   
   
   • Buttered Croutons:
   
   Cut 1-inch slices of day-old firm bread into 1-inch cubes. Preheat the oven to 300° F. For each cup of cubed bread, put 2 tablespoons butter in a rimmed sheet pan. Bake until the butter melts, then add the bread and toss to coat. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about half an hour.