TASTE – AT HOME!
About Patrick McMurray
Toronto born and bred, the son of two teachers, and antique dealers, Patrick McMurray has always been brought up around food, travel, and a strong work ethic and got into the restaurant trade by the age of 16, and hasn’t looked back since.
After shucking, and honing his skills for a number of years in Toronto, Patrick won the World Oyster Opening Championships in Galway, 2002, the only Canadian to win in over 60 years.
With his vast knowledge of Oysters, Shucking ability, and teaching skills Patrick is an Oyster Sommelier, author, restauranteur, publican, speaker, lecturer and generally all things seafood and sustainability.
For more information – https://shuckerpaddy.ca/
Ceili Cottage Oyster Chowder – Patrick McMurray
Ingredients
3 large potatoes – diced (skin on – but you could remove)
2 tbsp + 1tsp unsalted butter (35ml)
6 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 shallots, minced
1/4 cup dried Irish Moss seaweed
1 tsp Dulse seaweed powder
5 cups whole milk (1.25L)
2 slices extra thick smoked bacon – cut into lardons
12 + 24 Kelly’s Rock (Crassostrea gigas) shucked, liquor reserved
12 panko crusted Kelly’s Native Oysters (Ostrea edulis) – pan fried for garnish
Turf for smoking
Salt & Pepper to taste
Method
In a smoker, Turf-smoke 24 shucked RockOysters’ meat – until ruffled – set aside when ready – about 15 min.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Set aside
In another large sauce pot on medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add chopped celery, shallots, and sauté until soft, and translucent – about 10 min.
Place 12 shucked Rock Oysters – and oyster liquor onto the celery mixture, and poach the oysters until ruffled.
Reduce the heat to low, Add the milk and 1 cup of the cooked potatoes, and heat through, besting careful not to boil.
Once warmed through, use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth.
Add the rest of the diced potatoes, and Irish Moss keep low to warm through, stirring occasionally so as not to scald the milk. The moss will dissolve into the soup, naturally thickening it.
Heat a heavy Frying pan on medium, add the bacon lardons and fry until crisp – 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon out of the pan, and fry the Panko-crusted Kellys Galway Oysters in the bacon pan. Fry until golden,remove and rest on paper to drain excess bacon drippings.
To serve, divide the bacon, and smoked Oysters evenly, among 6 warmed bowls. Ladle the warm Chowder into the bowls.
Garnish by floating 2 pan-fried oysters and a dollop of unsalted butter in top, and a sprinkle of the Dulse seaweed powder.
Serve with fresh Brown bread and butter, a couple more Oysters on the 1/2 shell and perhaps an Oyster Stout.