Smoked Chicken, Smoked Oysters, Smoked Paprika, Smoked Sea Salt
Crazy for smoke? Back in March a recipe by Chef Linton Hopkins for a Shrimp & Smoked Oyster Chowder in Food & Wine caught my attention. The photo from that article had been hanging on my refrigerator ever since. And I don’t know about you, but it is very difficult to walk past the huge smoker at Whole Foods Market without adding a “smoked something” to the cart. The aroma is intoxicating.
Another favorite – smoked oysters. I like the Crown Prince ‘Natural’ Brand. These oysters are harvested in South Korea, naturally smoked over oak, and packed in pure olive oil. In Chef Hopkins’ chowder, the smoked oysters are chopped. Here, I make them the star of the soup – they are warmed, and served whole. These oysters, along with the smoked half chicken from Whole Foods, plus Spanish smoked paprika & smoked sea salt result in a unique soup with layers of smoky flavor…
- 1 qt. chicken stock
- 1 c. bottled clam juice
- 1/4 c. dry sherry
- olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small fennel bulb, diced
- 1 celery rib, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 t. crushed red pepper
- 1/4 t. spanish smoked hot paprika
- naturally smoked sea salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 14 oz. can peeled diced tomatoes
- 2 T. worcestershire sauce
- lemon juice
- smoked chicken, shredded by hand
- smoked oysters
In a soup pot, sauté onion, fennel, celery, garlic, and red pepper flakes in olive oil until the vegetables are softened.
Add chicken stock, clam juice, sherry, worcestershire, bay, and tomatoes to the pot. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Remove bay.
Paprika Fumé Espagnol & Oak Smoked Oysters in Olive Oil
Add smoked chicken and smoked paprika to the pot. Continue to simmer until the chicken is heated through. Add a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice and naturally smoked sea salt to taste. (Be sure to use sea salt that has been smoked over a natural fire, not infused with smoke-flavorings). Finish by gently adding whole smoked oysters to the soup until they are warmed. To serve, remove the oysters to a bowl and top them with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little smoked sea salt.
Ladle soup into bowls, then top each bowl of soup with the warm whole oysters.
Serve with grilled bread brushed with olive oil.
The original inspiration for my Smoked Soup was Chef Hopkins’ Chowder which is made with shrimp & buttermilk and can be found here.
This sounds wonderful!
The combination of the oysters wth the chicken does interest me and then you have that sherry. (I think you will be famous for the sherry). I would like to play with this. My local grocer just got a host of smoked salts – but don’t know if the salt was smoked or infused with liquid smoke…. details…details. If I can come up with something as gorgeous as your soup, I would indeed be in bliss.
Smoked salt is easy to get these days. I like alder wood smoked salt.
ooh…that soup is smokin’! I like the finish of lemon and sea salt.
This sounds like a delicious and amazing soup! So creative!
Sounds great…love your Smoked soup!
Loved that you infused so many “smoke” elements! Nicely done!
Sounds amazing… you know, you need to look out for two of my favourite things.. 1. smoked garlic and 2. smoked semi-dried tomatoes. heavenly.
Ooh I will! Thanks Papillon!
LL
nice and hearty soup for your cold weather now.
Lori Lynn,
this must be one of the most delicious soup recipes ever!
Marvelous flavors in your soup and what a super job you did with your photos!
I love all the flavor in this soup…delicious!
The broth of this soup must have been heavenly.
I just tasted smoked sea salt for the first time. Love it.
I just made this tonight with my own smoked oysters and chicken. Very pleased. Thanks for the recipe.