16 replies to this topic

[TheLoucheyMonster!]

Here is another for you oyster lovers:

This soup is "creamy" while being relatively low-fat; it's thickness comes from puréed potato rather than heavy cream, and resembles a warm Vichyssoise until the heavenly liquor-poached oysters go in.

The recipe comes to us from Chef Hubert Sandot of Martinique Bistro.

• 2 medium-large russet potatoes, rinsed, peeled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups of chopped leeks, white part only (rinse carefully to remove grit)
• Salt and white pepper to taste (preferably freshly ground)
• 4 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1/2 cup oyster liquor (if available)
• 16 large oysters
• 1/3 cup Herbsaint (or Pernod)
• 1 cup water
• Chopped chives, for garnish
• Tabasco

Cook the potatoes until tender. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter and sweat the leeks for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken stock and oyster liquor if available, then add the cooked potatoes and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a food processor and pur&ecute;e at the lowest speed at first, gradually increasing to high speed until the texture is smooth and creamy. Be VERY careful blending hot liquids! Season the soup to taste with salt and white pepper, then set aside and keep hot.

Heat a large nonstick skillet, then pour the oysters into it quickly. Keep the skillet on high heat, shaking the contents, for 1 minute; then add the Herbsaint and ignite. Be very careful doing this. Shake the skillet until the flame goes out, then add the water and poach for 1 minute. Discard the poaching liquid.

Pour the soup into hot bowls, then place 4 oysters on top of each serving. Make a fancy design with the chopped chives, and drops of Tabasco sauce. Impress your guests.

YIELD: 4 servings

http://www.gumbopage...-herbsaint.html

Enjoy!

[Absomphe]

[baubel]

Oyster liquor?

[TheLoucheyMonster!]

Thats just the liquid in the shell the critters live in.


(Unless some crazy distiller wants to ferment and rectify the little bastards. )

Edited by TheLoucheyMonster!, 12 December 2011 - 04:34 PM.

[Père Ubu]

Absinthe substituting for Herbsaint must be a circle of life thing.

[Père Ubu]

shared

[OMG_Bill]

Sounds delightful LM.
Thank you! *smile*

[baubel]

Thats just the liquid in the shell the critters live in.


(Unless some crazy distiller wants to ferment and rectify the little bastards. )

Ah, I thought someone was out there making oyster brandy or oyster bitters (when available). Shows y'all what I know. Damn desert life.

[Artemis]

I was recently told about an oyster beer here in Louisiana. It came out of a contest held by Abita (north of the lake) for amateur brewers. Apparently it won.

Herbsaint (as re-engineered, thanks to Green Imp) tastes a damned sight better than most absinthe. But that has more to do with mugwort than with oysters.

I'll take my oysters deep fried, with any beer, but mo betta beer is betta.

Edited by Artemis, 12 December 2011 - 08:29 PM.

[Père Ubu]

Green Imp Herbsaint is good. Specially when served and louched by the Green Imp himself.

[TheLoucheyMonster!]

I was recently told about an oyster beer here in Louisiana. It came out of a contest held by Abita

I found an article about that one Here

Did some quick searching and found some oyster stouts:

From Harpoon: link
and Porterhouse link
Marston's here
and more out there. So I guess someone is fermenting the little bastids.

[Père Ubu]

The FBI ain't got shit on you when it comes to info gathering.

[TheLoucheyMonster!]

I'm just an enthusiastic cub reporter and junior researcher, who likes to find new stuff.






Or that's my cover story for the Wormwood Intelligence Agency, which may or may not exist.

[thegreenimp]

If you catch it on the right day, the Herbsaint Tomato/Shrimp bisque at Herbsaint in Nola, isn't too bad.

I usually bring an Herbsaint glass, and some old bottles when I go there, just to keep the obsessive theme going.

[Père Ubu]

You have an obsession? Hadn't noticed.

[Absomphe]

Me neither.

[Artemis]

I found an article about that one Here

That's it. My niece told me about it, but I didn't pursue it. It sounded nasty, not to mention unworkable.

In high school one of my friends liked to bring a small bottle of raw oysters to school, chew one up and wait for a girl to approach the water fountains, then he would hock the thing up into the adjoining fountain with much sound and fury. Yeast are probably just as squeamish about oyster protein in their porridge, not to mention the salt which allegedly improves the "mouthfeel".

Edited by Artemis, 14 December 2011 - 02:47 PM.