Modern Oyster Stew

Ingredients

• 1 pint Fresh Oysters (About 1 pint, shucked, with their liquor)
• 4 cups Whole Milk
• 0.25 cup Unsalted Butter
• 0.5 tablespoon Salt
• 0.125 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 0 as needed Oyster Crackers (For serving)

Instructions

1. 1Place oysters in a colander and gently pour 3/4 cup of cold water over them to rinse. Carefully pick over oysters to remove any shell fragments. Reserve the oyster liquor.
2. 2Heat the reserved oyster liquor in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Strain the liquor through a double layer of cheesecloth to remove any sediment.
3. 3Add the oysters to the strained liquor and cook until they are plump and the edges begin to curl, about 3-5 minutes.
4. 4Remove the oysters with a skimmer and place them in a tureen or individual bowls. Add the butter, salt, and pepper. Strain the oyster liquor a second time and add it to the tureen, followed by the scalded milk. Serve immediately with oyster crackers.