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Prep time
20 minutes
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Cook time
15 minutes
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Makes
4 servings
Author Notes
This is a riff on a spinach and oyster soup that my dad used to make for himself on Friday night after a 12-hour day at our market. He'd always bring in any leftovers for my brother and me to share the next day. I added potatoes to make it a little heartier, and swapped baby spinach leaves for the regular spinach he would use. —inpatskitchen
Test Kitchen Notes
This soup is elegant in simplicity (few ingredients, few steps) and extremely satisfying in flavor (whoa!). I never cook oysters given the option not to, but if I had to make a cooked-oyster dish I would make this again, without any changes. I used Bar Harbor brand clam juice and the final chowder didn’t need any additional seasoning. Pouring that much cream into the soup reminded me of my chef instructor in school, who would have most likely called it “gilding the lily.” But it’s delicious, so hey… —Rebecca Vitale
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Ingredients
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2 1/2
dozen freshly-shucked oysters and their liquor
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1 1/2 cups
clam juice
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1/2 cup
water
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1 tablespoon
butter
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1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil
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1 cup
diced onion or 1 medium leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
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1
large clove garlic, minced
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2 cups
diced potatoes (small dice) -- I used Yukon Gold
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1 1/2 cups
heavy cream
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6 ounces
baby spinach leaves, thick stems discarded
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1 pinch
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
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Combine the oyster liquor, clam juice, and water. Set aside.
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In a medium soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onion or leek in the butter and olive oil until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds more.
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Add the reserved broth and potatoes to the pot. Bring up to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
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Add the cream, bring back up to a simmer, and stir in the spinach. Cook until the spinach just barely wilts, then add the oysters and any accumulated juices. Bring back up to a simmer again and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the oysters are just done. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
I think I get my love for food and cooking from my mom, who was an amazing cook. She would start baking and freezing a month before Christmas in order to host our huge open house on Christmas afternoon. I watched and I learned...to this day I try not to procrastinate when it comes to entertaining.
My cooking style is pretty much all over the place, although I'm definitely partial to Greek and Italian cuisine. Oh yes, throw a little Cajun in there too!
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