Leek, Potato, and Oyster Soup

Recipe by: Fergus Henderson | from The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating

Cookstr

Course: Hot Appetizer

Total Time: Under 1 Hour

Skill Level: Moderate

Cost: Moderate

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You will need a blender for this recipe, as part of the joy of the dish is the smooth velvety soup within which lurks the oyster.

Yield: To serve six

INGREDIENTS

7 tablespoons unsalted butter
9 good leeks, minimally trimmed to keep all the green, washed, and sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 quarts light fish or chicken stock
Sea salt and freshly ground black, pepper
12 medium Pacific oysters (it is best you shuck, these yourself, as you want to catch every last drop of oyster juice in a bowl)

Directions

In a pan large enough to take all the ingredients, melt the butter and sweat your leeks, onion, and garlic, avoiding any browning. When these are giving, add the potato and cook with the leek mixture for 8 minutes, again avoiding browning. Then add the stock and bring to a gentle boil. When the potato is cooked, season with salt and pepper. Now puree the soup in a blender and return it to a clean pan on the heat. Just before eating add the oyster liquor to the soup and place two oysters in each soup bowl. Pour the hot soup over the oysters and eat.