Oyster Stew | Cooking at Cottage Farm
Looking beyond the garden (and out to sea) for fresh, local fare.
Little snow flurries began in the wee hours and carried on through the day, stopping and starting, turning the evening’s damp cold into something sharper and cheek-numbing. I made my way through a list of errands, picking up supplies for dinner and pots of paper-whites for the windowsills.
Things move more slowly here at Cottage Farm in winter, a welcome change after the hectic pace of the holidays. There’s a different rhythm, one that’s measured in trips out back to shovel the doorstep and in logs being added to the fire. With the gardens put to bed for the winter, we’re also eating differently: pulling more root vegetables from the cellar and adding local seafood.
Oysters—which are farmed in abundance all along the New England coast, with new varieties coming to market every year—are one of my favorites, and they’re at their best just now, firm and sweet from the icy waters. These are good days for hot bowls of stew, and oyster stew has a long history here. It’s also very easy to make, even if you’ve never shucked an oyster and have no intention of ever doing so. You can have your local fishmonger do that job for you—just be sure to request that the brine be reserved.
Yield:
4 servings as a main course or 6 as a starterIngredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium white onion, minced
4 stalks celery, sliced lengthwise and cut very thinly crosswise
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
3 small Red Bliss potatoes, skins left on, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 ½ cups water
24 large oysters, shucked, with brine reserved
3 small sprigs tarragon, plus more for garnish
2 cups whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter and cook until bubbling. Add onion, celery, and salt. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add potatoes, stir to coat, then cook 2 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook until potatoes are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the oyster brine and tarragon, and simmer 3 minutes. Add the milk and cream and heat until very gently simmering—don’t let the milk boil. Add the oysters and poach until they are firm and ruffled at the edges, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, then remove tarragon sprigs, add pepper and salt to taste, and serve immediately with a few fresh tarragon leaves as garnish.
