Oyster Chowder Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup bacon, finely diced
1 Tablespoon butter
1/3 cup onion, finely diced
1/3 cup leek, finely diced
1/3 cup celery, finely diced
1 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup white wine
4 cups half and half
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
24 East Coast briny oysters shucked (reserve juice)
Garnish:
¼ cup celery, finely diced
¼ cup potato blanched
¼ cup fine diced crispy bacon

Directions

1. Cook bacon over medium heat in a heavy duty sauce pot until well browned but still fatty, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Add the butter, onions, leeks and celery, cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute covered.
4. Add the thyme and white wine, reduce until almost dry, about 7-10 minutes.
5. Add the half and half and reserved oyster juice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. It will be “broken," but it is OK. Blend the soup with a hand-held or counter-top blender. Then strain.
6. Reheat the oysters in the chowder on very low heat, Do NOT BOIL.
   Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the garnish and serve hot.

Serves 6.

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