It’s almost winter, and it’s getting cold and snowy. A hot bowl of oyster stew might get you through the day. Now, my dad’s recipe was oysters, milk, and pepper. You needed a lot of oyster crackers to make the bowl worth eating. I’ve updated that to include a lot more flavor: onion, leeks, anise (fennel), and some creamy goodness. It’s flavorful and smooth with that salty sea taste. I hope you like it. Thanks to Crosby’s Crabs for getting me the stewing oysters.

1 pint fresh oysters
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin (stems discarded)
1 leek, cleaned and sliced in 1/8 inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced in 1/16 inch strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup potatoes, diced and blanched
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups fish stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cream
4 strips bacon

Oyster crackers and chives

Cut bacon into small pieces and fry until crispy.

In a stock pot, melt butter on medium.

Add fennel, onion, and leek and soften for 5 minutes.

Add garlic; cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add fish stock and cook for 10 minutes.

Pour mixture in a blender and blend until almost smooth.

Return to pot and add potatoes, pepper and salt; cook until potatoes are softened.

Add bacon.

Add cream and bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes.

Add oysters and cook for 5 minutes.

Serve with crackers and chives.