Sharing My Passion for Real Food Made at Home

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Creamy Oyster Stew with Fennel and Pumpernickel Toasts, it is a favorite that is ready in mins! The best oysters for this oyster stew are fresh, the fresher the better.

Instead of serving this luxurious stew with crackers, I brush pumpernickel bread with rosemary butter, toasts it until crisp and place a piece in each bowl.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 12 large fresh oysters in their own juice

• 1 qt heavy cream

• 3 Ts French butter, unsalted

• Small leek, white only chopped

• 1/2 Small Fennel bulb chopped

• White onion, 1/4 cup chopped

• 2 ts Shallot- chopped

• Lemon zest

• A bit of lemon juice

• Pink salt and fresh cracked Java pepper to taste

• 2 1in pieces pumpernickel bread brushed with rosemary butter

• Chopped chives for garnish

Instructions

1st: Drain juice from the fresh oysters into a small bowl and set aside for later use. Do not discard the oyster liquor

• Then, in a small saucepan, melt the butter with the rosemary over low heat. Remove from the heat and let the rosemary butter cool to room temperature; discard the rosemary.

• In a large saucepan, combine the chopped fennel and shallots with the cream and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 20 mins. Strain the cream and discard the chopped fennel. Return the cream to the saucepan. Add the diced fennel and simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 8 mins. Add the leeks and simmer for 2 mins. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 10 mins.

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the bread with the rosemary butter and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for about 8 mins, until lightly toasted.

• Bring the cream back to a boil. Stir in some peas (optional), lemon zest and lemon juice. Remove from the heat and stir in the oysters and their liquor. Let the stew stand for 1 min. Season with salt and pepper.

• Ladle the stew into bowls and stand a piece of toast in each bowl. Garnish with the chives and serve.

Pair with Pinot Blanc or a steely unoaked Chardonnay works 

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