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Oyster Chowder

Source of Recipe

"The Essential New York Times Cookbook" by Amanda Hesser


Recipe Introduction

"This is a recipe you could have found in the Times archives at any point from the 1850s until now. The oysters today will have traveled farther—New York's harbor was once carpeted with bivalves—but some of the chowder's other elements are likely to be better. The celery is probably more tender, the cayenne fresher. This version comes from my grandmother Helen Getz."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ¼ pound bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips
â—¦ 1 cup chopped onion
â—¦ 1 cup chopped celery hearts
â—¦ 3 white potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
â—¦ About 3 cups water
â—¦ 14 to 16 large oysters, shucked, with their liquor
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ Cayenne pepper
â—¦ â…” to 1 cup whole milk
â—¦ 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley


Recipe

Spread the bacon in a soup pot, place over medium heat, and cook until it is browned and its fat has rendered. Drain the bacon on paper towels.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and put the pot back on the heat. Scrape the onion and celery into the pot and sauté until softened. Drop in the potatoes, add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.

Take the pot off the heat and, using a potato masher, lightly crush the potatoes to thicken the chowder. Add the oysters and oyster liquor and season with salt and cayenne pepper. Simmer until the oysters curl, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the milk (use â…” cup if you prefer it less rich) and bring to a boil, then shut off the heat. Crumble in the bacon and stir in the parsley.

Serves 4