This rich soup is just as satisfying as the original French Quarter Oysters Rockefeller.
Oysters Rockefeller Soup with Lemon Parmesan Croutons
Makes 8 cups
Ingredients
- 3 (1-inch-thick) slices French bread, cubed
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1½ cups chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 32 ounces fresh oysters, shucked and drained (reserve oyster liquor), divided
- ¼ cup anise liqueur*
- 1 (5-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cups half-and-half
- Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, toss together bread, parsley, melted butter, Parmesan, and lemon zest until bread is well coated. Place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool completely.
- In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon, and let drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Add onions, celery, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in flour and garlic; cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in ½ cup oyster liquor and anise liqueur until combined. Gradually add spinach and parsley, stirring until spinach begins to wilt. Stir in half-and-half and half of oysters. Let stand until slightly cooled.
- Using an immersion blender or countertop blender, in batches, if necessary, pulse soup until smooth. Stir in remaining oysters. Cook over medium-low heat until heated through. Serve with Parmesan, lemon wedges, croutons, and reserved bacon.
Notes
*We used Pernod.
