Deanna Hoak

If you’re tired of the oyster porn, please move along. I don’t even have any pictures of the oysters topless, alas.

However, since it was clear that my little family and I could not eat these oysters alone, I invited over a neighbor and her kids tonight; we both shucked about an hour (this is a first for us–be patient); and I made a pot full of oyster stew that produced many bowls like this:

Mmmm. See all that butter? Yeah. No margarine there, nosirreee.

Here’s what I did:

Sauté roughly these amounts:
2 sticks butter (BUTTER, I tell you!)
3/4 c. minced shallots
1 1/2 c. minced celery
2 grated Yukon Gold potatoes

When those are nice and soft, pour in
2 1/2 quarts of half-and-half

Spice with salt, pepper, and cayenne. When it’s just on the edge of boiling, add in

100 oysters, with juice

Stir it up, then add in

two handfuls of chopped fresh parsley

When the oysters curl at the edges (hardly any time at all) pour it in bowls and serve.

Damn, it was good. Best stew I’ve ever had, if I do say so myself. :-)