Grandpa’s Oyster Stew

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley fresh chopped
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1.5 cups heavy cream 
• 1 cup oyster crackers 
• 4 servings sea salt to taste
• 2  shallots minced
• 0.5 cup cooking sherry dry white dry
• 24  freshly shucked oysters 
• 1 pinch paprika sweet
• 1.5 cups milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• ladle
• pot

Directions

1. Stir butter and garlic in stockpot over medium heat until butter begins to brown.
2. Remove garlic and discard.
3. Stir shallots into browned butter. Cook and stir until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Pour sherry over shallots in the stockpot and bring to a boil while scraping any browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Pour reserved oyster liquor, milk, and cream into the stockpot; bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in oysters; cook until oyster edges begin to ruffle, about 3 minutes.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Stir in parsley; season with sea salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sweet paprika and oyster crackers.