Susie's Seafood Recipes

Reproduced with permission from Coastal Loran and GPS Coordinates by Captain Rod & Susie Stebbins
Special thanks to Captain Rod and Susie Stebbins

POTATO-OYSTER STEW

This dish is our perpetual chowder As the days go on, you can add more potatoes, onions, clam, crab meat, and leftover fish to the pot and in no time have a splendid dish. Do not salt the chowder each time you add ingredients, however, or it will soon taste like the Gulf of Mexico! Serves four.

INGREDIENTS

1 large handful of shucked raw oysters
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1 large onion, diced
1 stalk of celery
1 bay leaf
2 dried tarragon leaves
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups of milk (or cream)
1 cup of whole small mushrooms

PREPARATION-

Place the potatoes, onion, water, and salt in a pot and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stirring constantly, add everything else to the pot and simmer for three to five minutes, being careful not to burn the milk. cover and turn the fire off. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Heat again to bring stew to serving temperature, stirring constantly. Add pepper as needed.

When "perpetuating the pot" remember that any kind of fish that has been previously prepared in any way may be dumped into this pot, even if it has been breaded. Never add salt to the pot. As the various veggies are consumed, just add more with milk or cream, but don't burn the milk. The milk or cream will tone down the flavor of the chowder's previous incarnation and allow the new mess to develop its own character. If you like the dish thicker, add more cream, and don't be afraid to experiment with spices. There will come a time (at about the fourth generation) when you will want to start over!