OLD-TYME OYSTER PUDDING

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Yields: 4–6 Servings

Comment:
This pudding is a perfect addition to any holiday meal. It especially accentuates a deep-fried turkey!

Ingredients:
6 dozen oysters, chopped plus liquor
½ stick sweet cream butter
2 cups diced onion
1 cup diced celery
2 tbsps minced parsley
½ cup diced bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
¼ cup sliced green onion, no whites
8 ounces pasteurized clam juice
½ cup whole milk
1 tsp poultry seasoning
2 tsps salt or to taste
1 tsp black pepper or to taste
6-8 cups unseasoned French bread stuffing
2 eggs, lightly beaten
butter, melted for garnish
breadcrumbs for garnish

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F and butter a large baking dish. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, parsley, bell pepper, garlic, mushrooms and green onion tops and sauté until all are tender, stirring occasionally and making sure not to burn the butter. Gradually stir in chopped oysters, reserving liquor. Cook oysters gently 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add clam juice, whole milk, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. NOTE: Check natural saltiness of oysters before adding salt. Taste mixture and adjust seasoning as necessary. Cover pot, lower heat and simmer 5 minutes to let flavors blend thoroughly. Remove pot from heat. Gradually stir in bread stuffing, stopping when desired moistness is reached but ideal consistency is of soggy bread floating in milk. Rapidly stir in eggs then cover and let stand a few minutes. Add reserved oyster liquor and adjust seasoning to taste. Pour pudding into prepared baking dish, lightly sprinkle with grated breadcrumbs, drizzle with melted butter and bake 45-50 minutes or until browned and set yet light and fluffy.