Oyster Bisque Light Recipes

GRANDPA'S OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• Stir butter and garlic in stockpot over medium heat until butter begins to brown. Remove garlic and discard.
• Stir shallots into browned butter. Cook and stir until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Pour sherry over shallots in the stockpot and bring to a boil while scraping any browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Pour reserved oyster liquor, milk, and cream into the stockpot; bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in oysters; cook until oyster edges begin to ruffle, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir in parsley; season with sea salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sweet paprika and oyster crackers.

OYSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy kettle. Add the celery and shallots.
• Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes over moderately low heat until vegetables are soft. Pour in the strained liquid, milk and cream.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer.
• (Do not boil.) Beat the egg yolks lightly in a small bowl.
• Whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks; stir the milk-egg mixture into the kettle. Add the oysters, salt and pepper.
• Simmer, stirring, until bisque is lightly thickened, and the edges of the oyste rs have curled.
• Do not let the bisque come to a boil.
• Transfer to a heated soup tureen and sprinkle with the paprika.

OYSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Cook rice in 2 cups water until very soft. Do not drain. Whirl in blender using some of remaining 2 cups water if necessary. Put rice and water in cooker. Whirl oysters with their liquid and add to cooker with remaining ingredients. Be carefull not to let shell get into blender as it is very damaging to blades. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour. Turn to LOW and cook about 3 hours longer stirring once or twice. Remove bay leaf and stir well before serving. Makes about 2 quarts.

SPINACH AND OYSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• Drain the oysters in a fine sieve set over a measuring cup, add enough water to the oyster liquor to measure 2 1/2 cups, and reserve the liquid. Discard any shell fragments from the oysters, rinse the oysters briefly, and chop them into 1/2-inch pieces. In a kettle cook the onion in the butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it is pale golden, add the flour, and cook the roux, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the reserved oyster liquid and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking. Add the spinach, half the oysters, and the tarragon and simmer the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes. In a blender purée the mixture in batches until it is smooth, transferring it as it is puréed to a bowl, and return it to the kettle. Add the cream and the remaining oysters and heat the bisque over moderate heat, stirring, until it is hot and the oysters are cooked, but do not let it boil. Stir in the zest, the sugar, the nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and serve the bisque with the oyster crackers.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, add 2 inches of water; bring to a rolling boil. Add lobsters, cover, and steam for 8 minutes. Remove lobsters, reserving liquid. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from claws and tail, reserving any juices; refrigerate meat and juices. , In the same Dutch oven, cook carrots and onion in butter over medium-high heat until tender, 5-8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it starts to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add lobster shells, bodies, reserved cooking liquid, reserved lobster juices and stock. Bring mixture to a simmer; cook 1 hour. Strain mixture, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible; discard shells and solids. , Return liquid to Dutch oven. Add rice and cook until extremely soft, 25-30 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Add cream, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to very low simmer; add reserved lobster meat and cook until heated through. If desired, sprinkle with additional black pepper and parsley.

OYSTER BISQUE - LIGHT

Steps:

• Drain the oysters in a colander over a bowl, reserve the liquid.
• Add enough clam juice to the oyster liquid to make one cup and set aside.
• Reserve the remaining clam juice for another use.
• Coarsely chop oysters.
• Combine water and saffron, if using, in a small bowl and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the onion and celery, cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Stir in flour and coriander, cook 1 minute.
• Add the oyster liquid, saffron water if using, or tumeric, and milk,stirring with a whisk.
• Cook until thick, about 12 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the oysters, parsley, salt and cayenne.
• Cook 3 minutes or until edges of oysters curl.