Christmas Eve Oyster Stew Recipe

Serves/Makes: 4 – 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pints oysters with liquid
• 2 ounces butter
• 2 pints milk
• 1 green pepper, seeds removed and diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Worcester sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

How to cook Christmas Eve Oyster Stew:

• Heat the butter in a large pan and gently saute the onion, garlic and green pepper until softened.
• Add the milk and oysters and simmer until the edges of the oysters begin to curl, about 3 – 4 minutes.
• Add the Worcester sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle into hot bowls and top with chopped parsley, if desired.
• Serve the Christmas Eve Oyster Stew with lots of fresh crusty bread and butter.

Note:
This Oyster Stew recipe is traditionally served on Christmas Eve, but don’t wait all year to cook this delicious, simple and easy dish.

Comments:
Why the Christmas Eve Feast begins with a tureen of oyster stew?
Eating oyster stew on Christmas Eve is a tradition in many American families. A reason for a seafood dish on Christmas Eve was that eating meat the day before a religious feast was proscribed by the Catholic Church. (In Italy, fish soup, “zuppa di pesce,” was likewise consumed.) In some Mexico homes Oyster stew (“estofado de ostras”) also came to be a dish served on Christmas Eve. German celebrations always included, on Christmas Eve, oyster stew too.
Probably because oyster stew is a warming dish, ideal for winter nights, the custom of serving it on Christmas Eve spread throughout the United States, beyond the Irish and Catholic communities.

This recipe for Christmas Eve Oyster Stew serves/makes: 4 – 6

Main Ingredient: Oysters
Preparation Method: Soup/Stew
Cuisine: American