Oyster Stew

from Joy of Cooking (1972), pages 162-163, the "I." recipe

This is the recipe my dad used to make oyster stew every New Year's Eve.

I think the thinking was that, for Mom and Dad, the milk/cream would coat their stomachs making drinking effects minimized!

For us boys, it was a delicious prelude to the apple fritters.

You must serve this with oyster crackers, of course.

Nabisco still makes the preferred ones but they now come in a cellophane bag but do not seem to have the doubles, triples, and quadruples
that were a prize to find - somehow those ones tasted even better.

At least, get quality oyster crackers!

Recipe (my version):

I do not use a double boiler as the cookbook recipe calls for so this is my procedure.

2 to 4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sliced celery

Saute lightly in sauce pan big enough to hold the below.

Add

    1 to 1 1/2 pints oysters with liquor (standards prepackaged)
    1 1/2 cups milk
    1/2 cup cream
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon paprika or white pepper

to the sauted celery and heat on low to medium until the milk is hot and the oysters float.

Do not boil although if you do it will still be fine!


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