This perfectly delicious winter dish was shared by chef Sean Connolly (Sean’s Kitchen, QT, Sydney Fish Market Cooking School) and Wapengo oysterman John Blankenstein (Australia’s Oyster Coast) in the 2021 festival kitchen. It’s made a return to our home tables this month, with a few natural, winter-fat south coast rock oysters on the side.
Remember to support your local growers, oyster farmers and fishermen wherever you can.
Oyster and Leek Soup by Sean Connolly with rock oysters by John Blankenstein
Ingredients
6 rock oysters
1 large leek
50 gms butter
100mls dry vermouth or dry white wine
500mls fish stock
300mls of cream
Murray River pink salt to taste
6 twists of freshly ground white pepper
Method
Melt butter in a pot on the stove
Wash and dice leeks, discard the dark green and only use the white and yellow parts.
Drain & dry off the leeks and add the leeks to the melted butter.
Once softened add the 6 oysters and continue to gently sauté.
Once the oysters are cooked, (it doesn’t take long) add the alcohol.
Let the alcohol fizz and burn off for a moment the add the stock and simmer for five minutes.
Add the cream and simmer for a further five minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Purée the hot soup with a hand blender, once smooth, serve immediately with croutons or thick slices of warm crusty loaf and salted butter.
Kelly Eastwood, John Blankenstein and Sean Connolly.
South Coast produce is adored among Australia’s chefs and the Narooma Oyster Festival has a great history of bringing the two together, from Colin Fassnidge in 2022 to Julie Goodwin in 2012.
Each year the festival hosts free cooking demonstrations on the Narooma Betta Home Living Cooking Stage and we hope you enjoy recreating this dish for your own table. Remember to support your local growers, oyster farmers and fishermen wherever you can.
