Christmas Oyster Soup (Soupe Aux Huitres De Noel)
Submitted by Poppy
A refined French Canadian Christmas oyster soup with gently warmed oysters in buttery milk infused with grated carrots and celery. Elegant, briny, and on the table in 40 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
35 minREADY
40 minIn French Canadian homes, Christmas Eve calls for Soupe aux Huitres de Noel, an oyster soup so simple and elegant it feels almost reverent.
Grated carrots and finely diced celery sweat slowly in butter without browning, releasing their sweetness into the pan. Hot milk joins the pot, and plump oysters get warmed separately before being slipped into the milky broth at the very last moment.
The result is silky, briny, and buttery with tender vegetables floating alongside the oysters.
Serve it immediately. This soup waits for no one.
Chef Tips
- Never boil the oysters. Gentle heat keeps them plump and tender. High heat turns them into rubbery little erasers.
- Simmer the vegetables very slowly for the full 20 minutes. You want them soft and sweet, not browned or caramelized.
- Serve the moment it comes together. The milk and oyster liquor will curdle if the soup sits on the heat too long.
- Prep the milk and vegetables ahead if you’re timing it for a holiday meal. Just reheat, warm the oysters, and combine at serving time.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel and grate in long thin shreds, the carrots and add finely diced celery.
Melt butter in saucepan and add the vegetables.
Stir.
Cover and simmer over very low heat for 20 minutes, without browning the vegetables.
Add milk; bring to a boil.
Heat oysters in enamelled cast iron pan over medium heat; do not boil.
Pour into milk and serve.
Use salt and pepper to taste.
The soup should be served as soon as ready, otherwise it tend to curdle.
The milk and vegetables can be be prepared ahead of time and the oysters heated and served at the last minute.
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