Succulent Oyster Bisque - Perfect for Valentine's Day

Want to umm, heat things up between your sweetie and you for Valentine's Day? This succulent bisque is easier than you think. Great to serve for a first date or even at a dinner party -heck just for yourself too! Enjoy it, the Divaliscious way!

• 1 pint oysters (about 2 dozen- shelled with their liquor reserved!)
• 2 cups water
• 1 onion - sliced
• 1 stalk celery - diced
• 1 sprig of parsley - chopped
• 1 Bay leaf
• Dash of Mace
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup cream (optional)
• Paprika (optional - but makes it really look nice when serving)
• Tabasco Sauce
• Equipment needed:
• Two sauce pots, bowl, whisk, sieve, someone to open oysters for you if using fresh oysters (preferred) oh and one (1) sexy looking hunk sitting at your table waiting to be fed for his soon-to-be-needed strength!

1. This is a two parter - but it's easy, I promise!
2. If using fresh oysters, clean and pick over oysters, reserving their liquor (not yours, you may drink your glass of white wine)
3. Separate soft portions from the hard muscle (look over at hunk and wink)
4. Finely chop any hard parts of the oyster.
5. Set aside soft parts of oysters-they don't come into play just yet.
6. In one sauce pan, add the chopped hard parts of the oysters, their liquor, water, onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf and mace.
7. Bring to a boil.
8. While that is coming up to a boil, in second pot you are going to make a white sauce.
9. Add butter and melt in second pan on top of stove.
10. Stir in flour in with butter, let cook one or two minutes.
11. Add 1 cup of the 3 cups of required milk and whisk till smooth.
12. Add remaining 2 cups of milk. Heat till it boils and gets thick. - Whisking often creates an extra smooth texture (think no lumps)
13. Take second or maybe by this time 4th sip of wine, look over at Hunk and tell him you are almost ready!
14. With sieve and one of the bowls, Take first pot that had the "hard parts" of the oyster mixture with onions, etc and pour into sieve - press through.
15. Take "cleaned up" mixture and return to pot.
16. Take sip of wine. Don't be nervous of the hunk sitting at table with big sloppy grin on his face. (And I am not talking about the four-legged kitchen helpers some of you have)
17. Add your "white sauce" to your oyster stock, stir till combined.
18. Just before serving, add remaining soft portions of oysters, dash of Tabasco sauce and add optional cream if you wanted to go all out.
19. Heat through for three minutes.
20. Sprinkle each serving will a little of the paprika and sprinkle a little of the chopped parsley on top - voila
21. How you serve this succulent creamy oyster bisque to that hunk of yours, is up to you!
22. Happy Valentine's Day!

Succulent Oyster Bisque @ Group Recipes