Oyster Artichoke Bisque Food

OYSTER SOUP

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed stock pot, melt butter and saute onion, celery, and whites of scallions. Cook briefly then add flour and stir for approximately 5 minutes. Add sherry, stir together, then add cream and milk and whisk until smooth. Allow to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper, hot sauce and oysters. Bring to a slight simmer. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and scallion tops. Serve the soup topped with a dollop of whole butter.

GRILLED OYSTERS THREE WAYS

Steps:

• For the mignonette: Stir together the red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, shallots and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the bourbon BBQ sauce: Stir together the barbecue sauce and bourbon in a small bowl. Set aside.
• For the scampi butter: Mash to combine the butter, white wine, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Side aside.
• For the oysters: Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Add the coarse sea salt in mounds to a large 9-by-13-inch aluminum roasting pan.
• Cooking in batches if necessary, put the oysters with their cupped side down in the roasting pan, nestling them in the salt so the flat side is facing up and they do not tip. Put the roasting pan on the hottest part of the grill and close the lid. Cook until the shells open slightly (wide enough to slide a knife in), 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the oysters.
• Carefully remove the roasting pan from the grill. Insert the tip of an oyster knife or small sharp paring knife in the shell opening and run the knife along the inside of the top shell to release the oyster; remove the top shell. Run the knife under the oyster meat in the bottom shell to release the oyster, keeping the oyster and juices in the shell. Repeat with the remaining oysters, placing 12 of them on a platter and the remainder back in the pan. Serve the oysters on the platter immediately with the mignonette, or refrigerate until ready to serve. (See Cook's Note.)
• Spoon the bourbon BBQ sauce over 12 of the remaining oysters in the roasting pan (about 1 teaspoon each). Top each with some of the bacon and chives.
• Put a dollop of the scampi butter over the 12 remaining oysters in the roasting pan (about 1 teaspoon each).
• Return the roasting pan to the grill, close the lid and cook until the oyster fillings are just starting to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and transfer to a serving platter.
• Sprinkle the scampi butter oysters with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and serve immediately.

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Put the oysters in a strainer over a medium bowl to catch their liquor. Reserve 3/4 cup of the oyster liquor. In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread and oysters.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the bacon and cook for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the bacon, shallot, celery, salt, and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, reserved oyster liquor, and vermouth and bring to a boil. Transfer the shallot-herb mixture to the cornbread and oysters and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Transfer the cornbread mixture to a buttered 1-quart gratin dish, dot with the remaining butter, and bake until browned and crusty, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
• Butter a 3 1/4 x 5 3/4 x 2-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and combine with the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and mix lightly with a rubber spatula until a thick batter is formed. Stir in the melted butter until just incorporated.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Yield: 1 small loaf of cornbread

ROASTED OYSTERS WITH GARLIC-PARSLEY BUTTER

Steps:

• Make the garlic-parsley butter: Puree the butter, parsley, shallots, lemon zest, roasted garlic and a little salt and pepper in a food processor until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Open the oysters with an oyster knife. Divide the oysters among small baking dishes lined with baguette slices. Place a heaping teaspoon of garlic-parsley butter on each oyster. Roast the oysters until the butter is melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

OYSTER SOUP

Steps:

• In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream and oyster liquor from the oysters to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the celery and a pinch of the salt and sweat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and continue cooking until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery seed, hot pepper sauce, and oysters and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters start to curl.
• Transfer the oysters to the carafe of a blender and add enough of the cream just to cover.*
• Puree until the mixture is smooth. Return the remaining cream to medium heat, add the pureed mixture, and cook until heated through.
• Just before serving, add the lemon juice, chopped herbs, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, stirring constantly and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onions and celery and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk and oyster liquid. Season the mixture with salt, cayenne and black pepper. Bring the liquid up to a simmer. Simmer the liquid for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the oysters, garlic and parsley. Bring the liquid back up to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the oysters curl. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remove from the heat. Ladle the soup into the terrine.