Golden Oyster Stew

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, sliced
• 1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (sharp)
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of potato soup, undiluted
• 1 (2 ounce) jar pimiento, undrained, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 (12 ounce) container oysters, standard-size, undrained (save oyster "liquor")
• saltines (optional) or oyster crackers (optional)

Recipe

• 1 melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat; add onion and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until tender.
• 2 add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
• 3 gradually stir in 2 cups milk; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
• 4 reduce heat to low, and stir in cheese and next 5 ingredients.
• 5 cook, stirring often, 3 minutes or until cheese melts and mixture is hot.
• 6 add oysters and oyster liquor, and simmer 3 minutes or just until edges of oysters begin to curl.
• 7 serve with crackers, if desired.
• 8 *note:
• 9 to make ahead, prepare the stew through adding and melting cheese. freeze the mixture in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag for up to 2 months. thaw in the refrigerator overnight. heat in a dutch oven over medium-low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. proceed with recipe as directed.
• 10 **choosing the best: fresh shucked oysters are found in the seafood department of supermarkets or at seafood markets. we don't recommend substituting canned oysters in this recipe. fresh oysters come in 12-oz. containers and range in size from standards (the smallest) to counts (the largest). standards and selects are the most economical and are the best choices for oyster stew.