Modern Oyster Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pint Fresh Oysters (About 24-30 oysters, shucked, liquor reserved)
• 4 cups Whole Milk
• 0.25 small Yellow Onion (Thinly sliced)
• 2 Celery Stalks (Finely diced)
• 2 Mace Blades
• 1 sprig Fresh Parsley
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 0.33 cup Unsalted Butter (5 1/3 tablespoons)
• 0.33 cup All-Purpose Flour (5 1/3 tablespoons)
• 0.5 tsp Salt (Or to taste)
• 0.25 tsp Black Pepper (Freshly ground, or to taste)
• 0.5 cup Heavy Cream (Optional, for extra richness)
• 2 tbsp Dry Sherry (Optional, for added depth of flavor)

Instructions

1. 1Shuck the oysters, reserving the oyster liquor. Inspect the oysters for any shell fragments. Lightly chop the oysters. Strain the reserved oyster liquor through a cheesecloth-lined sieve to remove any sediment.
2. 2In a saucepan, combine the milk, sliced onion, diced celery, mace blades, parsley sprig, and bay leaf. Scald the milk over medium heat, bringing it just to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse the flavors.
3. 3In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until a smooth paste forms (a roux). Be careful not to brown the roux.
4. 4Strain the infused milk through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Gradually whisk the warm milk into the roux, ensuring there are no lumps. Add the strained oyster liquor to the milk mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Add the chopped oysters and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes, or until the oysters are just cooked through and plump.
5. 5Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. For a richer soup, stir in the heavy cream (optional). Stir in the dry sherry (optional). Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley, if desired.