Shelly's Recipe

CREAMY OYSTER STEW

Category: Stews

2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups half and half or heavy cream
1/2 cup pure unsalted butter
4 tbsp flour
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp Slap Ya Mama (or your favorite) White Pepper Blend Cajun seasoning, or to taste, optional
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 pint of oysters, reserving the liquid
3 stalks of green onion, sliced
Tiger sauce and hot sauce, for garnish, optional
Crushed saltines, for garnish
Fresh sliced green onion, for garnish

Heat the milk and half and half or cream in a medium sized saucepan over a low simmer. You want to slowly warm the mixture so take care not to allow it to boil. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium to medium high heat and start a roux by stirring in the flour, one tbsp at a time, until fully incorporated. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the Cajun seasoning and garlic salt and stir in. Reduce heat to just under medium.

Slowly begin to add the warmed milk and blend to the roux about one cup at a time, and stirring constantly until all of the milk has been incorporated. Do not boil. Drain the oysters, reserving the liquid; set the oysters aside, and stir in the liquid from the oysters (the oyster liquor), bringing it up to a slow simmer. Add the green onion, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the oysters and slow simmer until the edges of the oysters begin to curl. Plate in a nice soup bowl, and drizzle each serving with a bit of hot sauce - I like the combination of Tiger Sauce and Louisiana hot sauce. Crumble a couple of saltines in the center of each bowl and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh sliced green onion. Also very good spooned over homemade mashed potatoes.