Oyster Stew With Virginia Ham Food

VIRGINIA OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Place milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a medium saucepan or soup pot. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, just until hot (about 10 minutes). Do not boil.
• In a separate skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add the oysters, liquor and Worcestershire sauce. Sauté until the edge of the oysters just begin to curl (2-3 minutes). Transfer the oyster mixture to the pot of milk, and cook over medium-low heat for about 2 more minutes. Do not boil.
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chives or paprika, if desired.

OYSTER STEW WITH VIRGINIA HAM

Steps:

• Using 2 forks, shred ham into bite-size pieces. (You should have 1 cup.)
• In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in ham. Increase heat to high and add cider; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add cream, and heat through, stirring often, until just bubbling, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in oysters and liquor; cook until oysters turn opaque and begin to curl, 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 bowls and serve, with crackers and more pepper.

BROILED OYSTERS WITH CELERY CREAM AND VIRGINIA HAM

Steps:

• Shuck the oysters and drain, saving the oyster liquor for the sauce and the top shells.
• In a non-corrosive saucepan, add the oyster liquor, 8 ounces of the heavy cream, the celery seed, bay leaves, parsley, lemon zest, and juice. Bring to a boil and let reduce by 1/8. Strain through a fine sieve and return the cream mixture to the saucepan. Add the finely diced celery and ham and bring to a boil. Add the black pepper and check for saltiness, as the ham will add a great deal of salt to the mixture. If it is too salty, (hams will vary in saltiness) add a little more cream. Keep warm.
• Drain the celery root, and, in another saucepan, add the celery root. Cover with fresh, salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender and drain. In a food processor, add the celery root, butter, and remaining cream, and puree.
• Preheat the broiler. Place a 1/2 teaspoon of the celery root puree into each of the oyster shells, top with an oyster, and spoon the celery ham cream over the oysters. Place the filled oysters on bed of sea salt on a sheet pan and broil in the oven for about 5 minutes or until browning and bubbly. Serve at once.

OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Peel the eggplant and cut into 1 inch cubes then boil in a small bit of water for 10 minutes.
• Drain then add the milk, butter, salt and crackers.
• Simmer five minutes.
• Serve hot.
• If using the onions and celery saute them in 3 tbsp of butter and add to soup mix. Add the hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce before serving or during simmer.
• Note: Non Vegetarians can use regular worcestershire sauce.

MOM'S OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, salt and pepper; cook and stir until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the milk and half-and-half, and transfer to the top of a double boiler. If you do not have one, set the pan of soup over a pan of simmering water.
• When the milk is hot, add the oysters and heat just until the oysters are opaque. Do not allow to boil. Season with fresh parsley, cayenne pepper and sherry. Go easy on the sherry until you are sure you like it in the stew.

GRANDPA'S OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Stir butter and garlic in stockpot over medium heat until butter begins to brown. Remove garlic and discard.
• Stir shallots into browned butter. Cook and stir until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Pour sherry over shallots in the stockpot and bring to a boil while scraping any browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Pour reserved oyster liquor, milk, and cream into the stockpot; bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in oysters; cook until oyster edges begin to ruffle, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir in parsley; season with sea salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sweet paprika and oyster crackers.

HAM AND OYSTER CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter.
• Add flour and stir over low heat without permitting flour to brown (about 5 minutes).
• Add chicken stock and cream gradually.
• Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick and smooth.
• Put in a pan over hot water and add sherry and ham.
• In another skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add oysters and juice.
• Cook until edges curl.
• Add oysters to sauce and heat thoroughly without boiling.
• Add salt and pepper for taste.
• Serve in pastry shells or on toast.