Oyster and Fingerling Potato Stew with Bacon Butter

Here is a hearty oyster and potato stew recipe you can make using your SV1 immersion circulator and VacMaster chamber machine. Serve it up at your holiday parties or as a treat on New Year’s Eve.

For the Bacon Butter:

4 ounces unsalted "sweet” butter, softened

4 pieces of bacon, thick sliced, high quality, cooked crisp and chopped

6 sage leaves, freshly chopped

1 tablespoon thyme leaves, freshly chopped

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Oyster and Fingerling Potato Stew with Bacon Butter:

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, cleaned and split lengthwise

2 medium shallots, finely diced

1/2 medium fennel bulb, finely diced

1 large celery rib, finely diced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

3 sprigs thyme, fresh

3 whole bay leaves, fresh

3 cups milk, whole

1 cup heavy cream

2 dozen oysters, shucked, liquor reserved

To taste kosher salt

To taste black pepper

To taste hot pepper sauce

Parsley, for garnish

Fennel fronds, for garnish

1 tablespoon bacon butter, see recipe, per person

Directions:

For the Bacon Butter:

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.

2. Scrape onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log.

3. Refrigerate for several hours, up to several days.

4. Slice the butter into 1/4 inch rounds.

For the Oyster and Fingerling Potato Stew with Bacon Butter:

1. Preheat the VacMaster SV1 to 85C/185F degrees

2. Using the VacMaster Bag Filler and an appropriate sized VacMaster bag add the potatoes, shallots, fennel, celery, garlic thyme and bay leaf.

3. Carefully pour in the milk and cream and using a VacMaster chamber machine vacuum seal the bag and place in the SV1.

4. Cook for 60 to 90 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and tender but not falling apart.

5. Remove the bag from the SV1 and immediately chill in an ice bath and refrigerate.

6. Preheat the SV1 to 48C/118F

7. Open the chilled stew and remove the thyme and bay leaves and discard.

8. Using the VacMaster Bag Stand and an appropriate sized VacMaster bag add the cooked stew to the new bag.

9. If shucking your own oysters carefully lift the oysters out of their liquid, checking for bits of shell and sand.

10. Pass the liquid through a fine strainer to remove any sand or bits of shell.

11. Add the oysters and their strained liquid to the stew and using a VacMaster chamber machine vacuum seal the bag.

12. Place the bag in the SV1 and cook for 20 minutes.

13. Carefully pour the stew into individual soup bowls or large soup tureen and top with the bacon butter.

14. Garnish with the herbs and serve immediately.