... rather than as the recipe I started with called for it.
Turkey bacon - 3 slices, cooked and crumbled
Leeks - enough to make 2 cups of chopped pieces from just the white and pale green parts (I found that one package of Trader Joe's trimmed leeks, 2 largish stalks, was a bit more than enough)
Thyme - 2 sprigs of fresh, plus a sprinkle of dried - strip the leaves from the sprigs.
1 tablespoon plain flour - white or "white whole wheat" (I used the latter)
One largish russet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 pieces
12 ounces clam juice - I used the lowest-sodium version I could find. Clam juice tends to come in 8-ounce bottles,
12-ounce can of evaporated skim milk
2 8-ounce cans of oysters - drain and reserve the juice.
If you've got a 4-cup measuring cup, whisk together the clam juice, evaporated milk, and juice from the oyster cans all in the one measuring cup - it'll make it easier to add later.
Use a large, heavy saucepan - my huge 12" skillet worked well - to cook the bacon, so that you have a little bacon grease left over for sauteeing the leeks. Remove bacon from skillet, add a bit of canola oil if there's not much bacon grease, and saute the chopped leeks and thyme leaves until the leeks are soft, about 5 minutes if one is avoiding really high heat so as not to set off the smoke alarm, which seems to be rather sensitive in this condo.
Whisk the tablespoon of flour into the liquids, and slowly pour the whole 4-ish cups of liquid into the pan with the leeks and bacon, stirring steadily (I stirred with the whisk, as long as it was there). Heat to almost a boil, then add the potatoes (and add the bacon back in). Cover and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes depending on your interpretation of 1/2 inch cubes, the type of potato you use, and the phase of the moon.
While that's simmering, cut the whole oysters into pieces of about 1/2 inch - that'll be either in half or in thirds, for most oysters.
When the potatoes are tender, stir in the oysters and cook another 3 to 5 minutes at a simmer (but not a boil) until the oysters are just firm.
Serve hot, with oyster crackers, of course, and salt and pepper for people to add to taste. Makes about 4 servings.
Turkey bacon - 3 slices, cooked and crumbled
Leeks - enough to make 2 cups of chopped pieces from just the white and pale green parts (I found that one package of Trader Joe's trimmed leeks, 2 largish stalks, was a bit more than enough)
Thyme - 2 sprigs of fresh, plus a sprinkle of dried - strip the leaves from the sprigs.
1 tablespoon plain flour - white or "white whole wheat" (I used the latter)
One largish russet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 pieces
12 ounces clam juice - I used the lowest-sodium version I could find. Clam juice tends to come in 8-ounce bottles,
12-ounce can of evaporated skim milk
2 8-ounce cans of oysters - drain and reserve the juice.
If you've got a 4-cup measuring cup, whisk together the clam juice, evaporated milk, and juice from the oyster cans all in the one measuring cup - it'll make it easier to add later.
Use a large, heavy saucepan - my huge 12" skillet worked well - to cook the bacon, so that you have a little bacon grease left over for sauteeing the leeks. Remove bacon from skillet, add a bit of canola oil if there's not much bacon grease, and saute the chopped leeks and thyme leaves until the leeks are soft, about 5 minutes if one is avoiding really high heat so as not to set off the smoke alarm, which seems to be rather sensitive in this condo.
Whisk the tablespoon of flour into the liquids, and slowly pour the whole 4-ish cups of liquid into the pan with the leeks and bacon, stirring steadily (I stirred with the whisk, as long as it was there). Heat to almost a boil, then add the potatoes (and add the bacon back in). Cover and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes depending on your interpretation of 1/2 inch cubes, the type of potato you use, and the phase of the moon.
While that's simmering, cut the whole oysters into pieces of about 1/2 inch - that'll be either in half or in thirds, for most oysters.
When the potatoes are tender, stir in the oysters and cook another 3 to 5 minutes at a simmer (but not a boil) until the oysters are just firm.
Serve hot, with oyster crackers, of course, and salt and pepper for people to add to taste. Makes about 4 servings.