Oysters Rockefeller Soup
Garnished with a Fresh Shucked Oyster,
Butter Lettuce, Creme Fraiche, and Salmon Roe
Oysters Rockefeller consists of oysters on the half-shell that have been topped with various other ingredients (often spinach or parsley, cheese, a rich butter sauce and bread crumbs) and are then baked or broiled.
The dish was created in 1899 at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine’s by Jules Alciatore, son of the restaurant’s founder. It was named Oysters Rockefeller after John D. Rockefeller, the richest American at the time, for the richness of the sauce. (from wikipedia)
Sunken City Supper Club
The Soup Course
In the previous post I was so excited to share the debut of our Sunken City Supper Club: A place to mingle with friends and neighbors – to enjoy the camaraderie, great food, wine, and perhaps a little dancing to the awesome intimate jazz standards performed by Barry Anthony and Bill Ryan. Their band is The Swing Of Things.
I hope you have a couple of minutes to enjoy The Swing Of Things as they perform “I’ve Heard That Song Before.” The song, popular in 1942, is just so fun and lovely, it can put anyone in a good mood…
Our Oysters Rockefeller Soup Recipe
Puree a small onion, 1/2 bunch parsley, 3 scallions, and 3 large leaves of butter lettuce in a food processor. Add a pound of fresh spinach and continue to puree to a uniform consistency.Melt 4 T. butter in a saucepan, add 4 anchovy filets stirring until dissolved. Add the vegetable puree and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add 3 T. lemon juice and 3 T. flour.
Stir in one bottle clam juice, 1 c. chicken stock, 2 T. Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 2 c. heavy cream and grated nutmeg.
Finish with 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving add a splash of Pastis and the liquid from the shucked oysters. Garnish with shredded butter lettuce, a fresh shucked oyster, a small dollop of creme fraiche and salmon roe or caviar of your choice.
The initial idea for this recipe came from Barbara Kafka’s excellent soup cookbook, Soup A Way of Life.
Slide the fresh oyster onto the butter lettuce.
A soup inspired by a secret legendary old New Orleans recipe was the perfect one for the first Sunken City Supper Club dinner.
19 comments • Filed in: Entertaining
I love my oyster raw, eat it in just one big gulp.
I love oysters. Great recipe.
Lovely soup. It's been way too long since I've had myself some oysters.
This is such a work of art and I can appreciate the craft and dedication to try, but I don't like raw oysters…..
Gosh, does that ever look good!
Oysters Rockefeller soup is such a great idea, it looks just lovely! So, what do you think is the real secret ingredients in the Antoine's Oysters Rockefeller?
This looks too pretty to eat.
I really enjoyed these supper club posts Lori Lynn, how fun with music even. I could live on the panna cotta!
Well that video was a jazzy way for me to start the day. And, about that soup…it's just so interesting? special? extravagant? Ah, creative! That's the word. It looks wonderful.
This is brilliant! I love how you take a classic dish and refine it into such a beautiful (and tasty-looking) dish!
What a delicious soup!Beautiful photos as always!!
It's always inspiring to look at your posts, Lori Lynn. The soup is beautiful and the photos bring it to our admiring eyes.
If it tasted half as good as it looks,
I imagine those lucky guests are still swooning!
Oh wow!
Paz
Yay step-by-step!
Very elegant, and I love that there's no cream *in* the soup, but it looks very unctuous 
What a beautiful dish! We love raw oysters – minerally, fresh, and bright. And anchovies in the soup sound wonderful!
Your parties are the best. Can't wait for the next one.
This post is a great escape!
An exquisite take on Oysters Rockerfeller…the salmon roe for that extra zing.
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