Corn Soup with Oysters
from Roland Passot, Executive Chef and Owner, La Folie
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
6 Hog Island oysters, shucked
2 cups dry white wine
1/2 pound shallots, peeled and chopped
1/2 pound butter
6 ears sweet corn on the cob, cooked and kernels cut off cob, reserving a small portion of kernels for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 quart cream, milk or half and half
1/2 bottle dry vermouth
PREPARATION:
1. Poach oysters: In a saucepan, heat the white wine to barely simmering (160-180 degrees). Add oysters to the wine and poach for 30 seconds. Remove oysters from wine and set aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed pot, sauté chopped shallots in butter until translucent. Add corn kernels, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Add dry vermouth and simmer until reduced by half.
3. Add cream (or milk or half and half), let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Put soup in blender on high; blend well. Strain through fine strainer. Serve in a bowl or a hollowed-out squash with an oyster and a few corn kernels.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve in hollowed-out round squash or mini pumpkins by cutting off the top, hollowing out the inside and blanching them for 1 minute in boiling water.