Entrée – Seafood
Oyster & Champagne Stew with Valentine White Truffle Toast

This recipe was featured on "You're the Chef" episode #410. Buy this episode from WVIA.

Yield: two portions

Ingredients:

4 each	white bread, slice
2 Tbsp.	butter
1 tsp.	white truffle oil
1/4 c.	whole butter
1/4 c.	shallots, chopped fine
1/4 c.	celery, chopped fine
1 Tbsp.	all-purpose flour
1/2 c.	button or oyster muchrooms, sliced
1 c.	champagne
1 c.	water
1 c.	potato, peeled, diced small
1 c.	oysters, shucked
1/2 c.	heavy cream
2 tsp.	fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp.	fresh thyme
to taste	salt
to taste	ground white pepper

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Procedure:
Using a heart-shaped cutter for effect, cut heart shapes out of the bread. Melt the butter. Add the truffle oil and brown each heart crouton over medium heat on both sides. Remove the heart shapes from the pan and hold on absorbent paper.

Sweat the whole butter, shallots and celery in a 2-quart saucepot. After the vegetables soften, whisk in the flour and raise the heat to medium, stirring for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, champagne, water and potatoes, and simmer covered for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Add the oysters and cream, simmering the liquid over low heat until the oysters have just begun to firm up. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the heart croutons and fresh chopped parsley and thyme.