Oyster and potato stew with crisp bacon
8 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | tablespoons | Unsalted butter |
| 2 | mediums | Onions, 1/4-inch dice |
| 1 | pounds | Baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice |
| 1 | medium | Fennel bulb-trimmed, halved, cored and cut 1/4-in. dice |
| 1 | medium | Carrot, 1/4-inch dice |
| 3 | cups | Fish stock or 1 1/2 cups bottled clam juice mixed with 1 1/2 cups water |
| 2 | cups | Half-and-half |
| ½ | pounds | Slab bacon, 1/4-inch dice |
| 24 | Shucked oysters, with their liquor | |
| Salt & freshly ground pepper | ||
| 2 | tablespoons | Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley |
Directions
Melt the butter in a large non-reactive saucepan. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
Add the potatoes, fennel, carrot, fish stock and half-and-half, reduce heat to moderately-low and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Strain the stew into a bowl; set aside 1½ cups of the vegetables.
Transfer the remaining vegetables along with 2 cups of the liquid to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and stir in the reserved vegtables and liquid. (Make ahead: The stew can be refrigerated for up to 1 day).
In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderately-high heat until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Rewarm the stew over moderate heat. Add the oysters with their liquor and the bacon and cook until the oysters are just firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Transfer to shallow soup plates and serve at once.
Reprinted from Food and Wine Magazine - January 1997 Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V3 #342 From: Julie Bertholf <jewel1@...> Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 23:11:02 -0800