Oyster Artichoke Bisque

* Exported from MasterCook *

OYSTER ARTICHOKE BISQUE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups Seafood
Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
-----WALDINE VAN GEFFEN VGHC42A-----
1/8 pound Butter -- not margarine
1 cup Onion -- chop
1/2 cup Celery -- chop
1/4 cup Bell pepper -- chop
10 slices Bacon; cook -- crumble
1/4 cup Bacon drippings
36 Fresh oysters -- chop
6 small Artichokes; cook -- scrape
chop bottoms
2 cups Oyster liquor
1 cup Artichoke stock
2 teaspoons Fresh basil
2 pints Whipping cream
Salt and black pepper
Cayenne
Parsley; chop -- for garnish

Melt the butter in a 5-qt Dutch oven and saute the onions, celery and bell
pepper until they soften. Toss in the bacon, the drippings and the chopped
oyssters and simmer gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until the
oysters
curl and a rich gray-colored base forms. Drop in the artichoke pulp and bottoms
and blend them well into the mixture. Stir in the oyster liquor and the
artichoke cooking stock. Bring it to a boil, but be sure to keep stirring or
the
oyster liquor will scorch and stick to the bottom of the pot.
Boil for about 4 minutes. Stir in the basil, reduce the heat to simmer and let
the bisque cook slowly for another 5 minutes. Stir in the cream, a half-pint at
a time, and turn the fire back up to high! When the mixture comes back to a
boil, reduce the heat again so
that the bisque just barely "bubbles" and add the salt and pepper.
Taste before
adding the salt as the oysters contain a lot of salt. After 10 minutes, remove
from the heat and allow it to "set up" for 15 minutes so that the
flavors blend.
Serve, garnished with parsley. Source: Frank Davis Cooks Naturally N'Awlins.

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