Most Louisiana-style oyster stews are buttery and cream-based. This version shakes things up with a dark brown roux and is packed with plump, briny oysters.
Dark Oyster Stew
Makes About 1¾ Quarts
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped shallot (about 2 shallots)
- ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 bell pepper)
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ⅓ cup chopped poblano pepper (about 1 pepper)
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 3 large cloves)
- 1 tablespoon salt-free Creole seasoning*
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
- 5 (8-ounce) containers shucked oysters, drained (reserve oyster liquor)
- Sliced French bread, to serve
- Garnish: chopped fresh parsley, sliced green onion
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour, and whisk vigorously until smooth and combined. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until roux is dark brown in color but not burned, similar to the color of milk chocolate, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Add shallot, bell pepper, celery, poblano, garlic, Creole seasoning, salt, and black pepper to roux. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Whisk in broth and 2 cups reserved oyster liquid until combined. (If oyster liquor does not equal 2 cups, use water to make up the remaining volume.) Simmer until thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Add oysters to stew, and simmer until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with French bread. Garnish with parsley and green onion, if desired.
Notes
*We used Tony Chachere’s No Salt Seasoning Blend.
