Homesteading In The Pacific Northwest

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Harvest Monday...and Oyster Stew

There's still not much to talk about harvest wise...but I did cut a few herbs and pull some potatoes from storage for our Friday night Oyster Stew...



 Ingredients:
1 8-ounce container fresh, shucked oysters, drained (reserve the liquid) and cut into bite size pieces ( I use half of one of the 16 ounce containers of extra small Pacific Oysters from Taylor Shellfish Farm...yes, I know I mention them a lot...what can I say?  We are so lucky to have such an incredible resource for fresh shellfish practically in our backyard!!)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1  tablespoon  hot water
1/4  teaspoon  saffron threads, crushed
2 slices uncured bacon (I like Nielsen Ranch)
1  teaspoon  butter
1/2  cup  coarsely chopped onion
1/2  cup  coarsely chopped celery
1 cup diced potatoes
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 small sprig fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2  cups  half and half
freshly ground black pepper
ground red pepper
  
Place the chicken broth and potatoes in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender...set aside.

Combine water and saffron in small bowl... set aside.

Cook bacon in a heavy pot until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble... set aside.

Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pot and melt over medium heat. Add the onion,celery, rosemary and thyme and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the herb sprigs. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Strain the potatoes from the chicken broth and set aside. Add the oyster liquid, saffron and water, chicken broth and the half and half, stirring with a whisk.  Cook until thick (about 10 minutes), stirring frequently.   Add the potatoes, the crumbled bacon and the oysters. Season well with freshly ground black pepper. Cook about 3 minutes, until the edges of the oysters begin to curl.  Serve in a wide bowl and garnish with ground red pepper.  Serve with fresh, hot bread.  Serves 4

Enjoy!

Deb

8 comments:

  1. That stew looks and sounds absolutely delicious!!
    Thanks for sharing your recipe!

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  2. I am not an oyster fan but I love homemade clam chowder - especially when the garden supplies much of the ingredients. The creamy soups are very satisfying fare as is - but made even more so when the potatoes etc are grown by our own hands. Well Done!

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  3. I can't get fresh oysters here, but if I could, I'd use your recipe. Thyme, rosemary, bacon, potatoes and sea food sound like "Paradise" to me! I'm still waiting for planting season to show up, but at least we've lost our snow here.

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  4. I love being able to use what I've stored from my garden. Such a homey, self sufficient feeling. Thanks for the recipe, it sounds wonderful. I made potato and mushroom chowder a few nights ago, and it was perfect on a cold evening. Thanks for sharing!
    ~~Lori

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  5. Deb this sounds great! I love fish chowder, clam chowder - CHOWDER. Never been a fan of oystesters but I love clams and muscles so maybe I just need to try them!! Recipe mimics one of mine except for how you put it together (the stages) AND the fresh herbs - why don't I ever think of fresh herbs w/ chowder? 70s last week and 60s this week. I may have only a couple chances left for some yummy chowder before I start thinking grilling! ;o) Thanks tons!!

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  6. Your oyster stew looks so yummy! Fresh oysters are easy to find on Maui - I'll have to try your recipe.

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  7. Oh if it were clams you would have me. But oysters I've never been fond of. I wish I still had potatoes in storage.

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  8. Thanks for the comments on the recipe. I have to confess that I love oysters; icy cold, raw, on the half shell with a squirt of lemon. I can account for a dozen or more (especially if they are Kumamotos or Totten virginicas). But cooked oysters are not a big favorite of mine. This is one of the few recipes that I have found that I like for oyster stew...and I like it better if it's made as a seafood chowder...add some clams, prawns and some chunks of halibut and I'm in "Paradise"... :)

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