Oyster Pepper Stew

Ingredients

• 24 shucked Oysters (Cleaned and picked over)
• 1 medium Onion (Chopped)
• 4 tablespoons Butter (Divided)
• 1 cup Okra (Sliced)
• 2 medium Tomatoes (Peeled, seeded, and chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper (Or to taste)
• 1 pound Fish bones, head, tail, skin, and flesh (From a white fish such as cod or flounder)
• 6 cups Water (For fish stock)

Instructions

1. 1Clean, pick over, and parboil the oysters for 2 minutes. Drain the oysters, reserving the oyster liquor. Set aside.
2. 2To make the fish stock, place the fish bones, head, tail, skin, and any small quantity of flesh adhering to the bones in a large pot. Cover with 6 cups of cold water. Bring slowly to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Add the reserved oyster liquor to the fish stock.
3. 3In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt half of the butter (2 tablespoons) over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
4. 4Add the fish stock (including oyster liquor) to the pot with the sautéed onion. Then add the sliced okra and chopped tomatoes (drained from some of their excess liquid). Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. 5Add the parboiled oysters and the remaining butter (2 tablespoons) to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the oysters are heated through. Be careful not to overcook the oysters.