Magnificent oyster stew with the perfect seasonings. Fixed this for Christmas lunch with cornbread and felt like I was at one of New Orleans's finest restaurants. Very rich, but oh so delectable.
Oyster Stew
Rich and creamy oyster stew — sometimes served over puff pastry shells (a preparation known as oyster patties) or cooked with artichoke hearts — is a restaurant classic and a popular Thanksgiving first course in New Orleans. This recipe is from Antoine's, a 160-year-old French Quarter restaurant and America's oldest family-run establishment.
Credit: Landon Nordeman
INGREDIENTS
50 medium oysters, such as bluepoints, shucked (about 1 1⁄2 lbs.), with 1 cup of the liquor reserved12 tbsp. unsalted butter
5 tbsp. flour
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup finely chopped curly parsley
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine oyster liquor with 1 cup water in a 2-qt. saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the oysters and simmer until their edges just begin to curl, about 2 minutes. Strain oysters through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl. Reserve oysters and cooking liquid separately. Heat butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add celery, garlic, onions, parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until onions and celery are very soft, about 25 minutes.2. Stir in milk, cream, and reserved oysters with their cooking liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, until just hot, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Ratings & Reviews (6)
I served this with our Thanksgiving meal. The oyster stew stole the show. It was served again for my daughter's local gourmet club and everyone loved it. I did not alter the recipe, it was perfect. Everyone liked the bite of the cayenne pepper.
So very good, rich, and delicious! I would never have thought to add garlic to oyster stew, but this is the best!! I added more oysters than called for and as I have access on the North Carolina for fresh shucked oysters, I didn't even have to shuck my own. And North Carolina oysters are good by themselves, but in this stew, they shine!
I tried this recipe for oyster stew for our weekly Sunday family dinner (13 adults and 5 children, so I doubled it), and it was wonderful. At first it seemed a bit heavy, or rich, so I added more milk (about double what the recipe calls for), to the leftovers, and served again the next night, and it was even better. I have several recipes for oyster stew that are excellent, but this one may be my favorite!
Great recipe but you forgot something! Don't you put a touch of anisette or Pernod in it?
Wow! This was fabulous! I make oyster stew for my dad every Christmas Eve and decided to try a new one this year. This was outstanding. The only alteration I made was to add significantly less parsley (maybe a tablespoon)because I'm a bit of a traditionalist and I prefer that oyster stew not look and taste like a salad. Next time, I'll cut back on the salt, which I thought was a bit overwhelming. But all in all, a wonderful recipe. Everyone went back for seconds!
Oyster Stew
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