Before we were frozen out of Maine a few days ago, we had dinner at one of our favorite Rockport restaurants, Nina June, in the heart of the village.
It is the brainchild of Sara Jenkins who combines her love of Mediterranean food with her Maine roots. She is also a cookbook author, the most recent one written with her mother Nancy Harmon Jenkins, a food guru in her own right.
On a cold night, we started with soup that combined leeks, potatoes, oysters and buttermilk in a creamy base. It was so good that I had to see if I could recreate it for dinner on a chilly Houston night.
I started with the known ingredients and added chicken broth and half and half. I can’t promise that it was as good as Sara’s, but it wasn’t bad. Here’s how it went together.
Buttermilk Oyster Soup
1 pint oysters, cut in half if they are large
l leek, finely chopped
3 red potatoes, finely chopped
1 c. chickens broth
1 qt. half and half
1/2-1 c. buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste
Saute oysters in about 1/4 c. of their liquid for about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
In a large saucepan, cook leeks and potatoes in chicken broth until potatoes have softened. Add half and half and heat through. Add buttermilk and oysters with salt and pepper to taste and heat until all ingredients are blended.
Simple enough, the soup was very tasty and a perfect meal with a green salad and cornbread muffin. Next time I make it I might add a few drops of Tabasco and I can also imagine it with spinach or kale as an ingredient. Hmmm, what started at Nina June may take on a life of its own.
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Lulu's Musings 
Will have to pass this recipe on to my sister as she loves making Oyster Stew/Soup! Happy New Year!!!!
I’m so impressed with your recipe building adventure! You may need to be my new food guru. CherryKay
I like creations like these that start with an idea that you can add to. It looks delicious.
It is soup weather even here in Florida. While I’m not crazy about oysters, Mickey loves them and would certainly enjoy a bowl of your soup.
Just loved it 🙂
Aaah, the soup in Maine. When we were there we went endlessly in pursuit of clam chowder. And now you’ve reminded me, so many thanks for this recipe. It sounds spot on. Just need to find me some oysters!
You know, I bet you could do the same thing with clams or maybe shrimp.
Or even flakes of fresh salmon. Or slivers of lightly smoked haddock, which would give it a Scottish twist…:)
Linda, it is soup weather and that looks and sounds delicious!
It was tasty enough that I’ll make it again.
We are freezing TOO here in H-town!
YOUR SOUP IS PERFECT to warm the cockles of our hearts!
We had navy bean soup tonight with stock made from large ham bone left from Christmas dinner. Yummy also.
Navy bean soup is one of our favorites and, of course, it has to have cornbread with it.
Must give that a try!!
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I bet you can get some good oysters in Galveston.