Our Favorite Oyster Stew

Our Favorite Oyster Stew
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter
1/2 small onion (for 1/4 cup diced)
1 pint fresh shucked oysters, see cook's note
1 quart whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper or more to taste
1 cup oyster crackers
1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot. Meanwhile, peel and dice the onion, adding it to the pot as you dice. Cook until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes.
2. While the onion cooks, drain the oysters, reserving the liquid. Pick through the oysters to remove any pieces of shell. Add the oysters to the pot and cook just until the edges begin to curl, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour the reserved oyster juice into the pot through a strainer to remove any grit. Add the milk, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring constantly, just until the soup is hot enough to serve, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and stir.
3. Divide among 4 shallow soup bowls and top each serving with about 1/4 cup of oyster crackers. Serve immediately.
Serves four.
Cook's note: Look for fresh shucked oysters in cans in the fresh seafood section of the supermarket. If you can't find fresh oysters, substitute 2 cans (8 ounces each) of oysters with their juice. You do not need to saute the oysters in step 2. Just add the drained oysters to the pot once the soup is hot.
Nutrition values per serving: 406 calories (54 percent from fat), 25 g fat (14 g saturated), 28 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 18 g protein, 132 mg cholesterol, 862 mg sodium.

File: 'fd millsross.rec 1226' in 'dpa'