Artichoke Oyster Soup

Artichoke Oyster Soup

6 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup shallots (chopped fine)
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon flour
14 oz chicken broth (more or less won't h; urt)
4 cup oysters, drained; reserve liquid (less, to
14 oz artichoke hearts, cooked
2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon tabasco
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoon parsley (chopped, fresh)
In a 3-quart casserole, melt butter and saute shallots. When shallots are
translucent, add thyme, bay leaf and cayenne pepper. Add flour and whisk
well. Add broth, oyster water, artichoke hearts, salt and tabasco. Bring
to a boil. Add oysters and parsley. Simmer on medium, partly covered, for
exactly 5 minutes. Add whipped cream and serve immediately.
NOTES:
* Chicken broth with artichokes and poached oysters -- This is a modern
cajun-style recipe that I adapted from a local convenience-food cookbook
byJean Durkee. It's an intriguing combination of modern American
ingredientswith traditional cajun flavorings.
* Fresh parsley tastes much better than dried parsley. If the
oysters arebigger than a small bite-size, cut them up before adding them to
the soup. Use the smallest oysters you can find.
* When I'm not making a double recipe, I usually dump the
entire (about 1-cup) container of whipping cream into the soup, even
though that's doublewhat the recipe calls form.
* The timing on cooking the oysters is fairly
critical. If you overcook them, they will be rubbery.
: Difficulty: easy.
: Time: 20 minutes.
: Precision: measure the spices.

Angel Hair Pasta With Sea Scallops

Angel Hair Pasta With Sea Scallops

1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs
8 oz angel hair pasta --
1 uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil -- for vegetables
1 teaspoon olive oil -- for scallops
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley --
1 divided
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 teaspoon dried whole basil
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 oz clam juice -- (1 bottle)
1 lb fresh sea scallops
1 cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Place breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 deg for 5 minutes or
until golden brown; set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Drain and rinse under cold running water; drain well. Place in a
large bowl; set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4
cup parsley and next 4 ingredients; saute 1 minute. Add flour and
pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually
add clam juice, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until
thickened, stirring constantly. Pour over pasta; toss well. Set
aside, and keep warm.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in skillet over medium heat; add
scallops, and saute 4 minutes or until scallops are done. Add to
pasta mixture; toss gently. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1-1/4
cups).