Oyster Stew from the New York Cellar
A creamy milk-and-butter broth in which oysters poach just long enough to plump and curl their skirts. Served piping hot, with crackers crumbled on top, exactly as at the worn wooden counters of the city's cellars.
A creamy milk-and-butter broth in which oysters poach just long enough to plump and curl their skirts. Served piping hot, with crackers crumbled on top, exactly as at the worn wooden counters of the city's cellars.
Believe me, when you've just turned in your copy past midnight, there's only one thing you dream of: going down the steps of an oyster cellar and having a steaming bowl served at the counter. You count them by the dozen, throw them into hot milk, and as soon as their little skirts curl, it's ready! I'd crumble in a handful of crackers, a good knob of butter, a twist of pepper, and I'd leave warmed up to face the cold of Park Row. Nothing simpler, nothing more New York.
- •Fresh oysters with their liquor — one dozen (heart of the dish, brings iodine and umami)
- •Whole milk — one mug (base of the creamy broth)
- •Butter — a generous knob (binder and richness)
- •Crackers (salted biscuits) — a handful (thickener, served crumbled)
- •Salt and pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Oyster Stew from the New York Cellar
A creamy milk-and-butter broth in which oysters poach just long enough to plump and curl their skirts. Served piping hot, with crackers crumbled on top, exactly as at the worn wooden counters of the city's cellars.
Why this dish? Just steps from the New York World where Bly wrote, the basements of Manhattan were full of oyster cellars open late. For a reporter finishing an article, oyster stew was the perfect hot meal: ready in five minutes, nourishing, and affordable for any budget.
Believe me, when you've just turned in your copy past midnight, there's only one thing you dream of: going down the steps of an oyster cellar and having a steaming bowl served at the counter. You count them by the dozen, throw them into hot milk, and as soon as their little skirts curl, it's ready! I'd crumble in a handful of crackers, a good knob of butter, a twist of pepper, and I'd leave warmed up to face the cold of Park Row. Nothing simpler, nothing more New York.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh oysters with their liquor — one dozen (heart of the dish, brings iodine and umami)
- Whole milk — one mug (base of the creamy broth)
- Butter — a generous knob (binder and richness)
- Crackers (salted biscuits) — a handful (thickener, served crumbled)
- Salt and pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Shucked oysters with their juice — 12 (about 250 g) (heart of the dish)
- Whole milk — 400 ml (creamy base)
- Heavy cream — 100 ml (richness (optional))
- Butter — 30 g (binder)
- Plain crackers — 6 to 8 (to crumble on top)
- Salt, pepper, pinch of sweet paprika — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Strain the oyster liquor to remove shell fragments; reserve.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter, then add the milk (and cream); heat gently without boiling.
- Add the strained oyster liquor and bring to a light simmer.
- Slide in the oysters and poach for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the edges curl.
- Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika. Serve immediately, piping hot, with crackers crumbled on top.
How it was made : In the 19th century, the oyster was a poor man's food in New York: shucked by the thousands in popular cellars. The stew was made on the spot over a coal stove, with no written recipe — doneness was judged by eye as soon as the oyster skirts curled.
The contemporary twist : Serve it in a large mug rather than a bowl, as at the counter: almost drinkable, with a spoon stuck in, in the 'street food' style of 1889.
Sources : Mrs. D. A. Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln's Boston Cook Book (1884) · Fannie Farmer, The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (1896)
Nellie Bly · Charactorium