This amazing soup is fancy enough for a dinner party starter or just perfect for a cozy, belly warming meal at home. The best part is that no shucking is required and the entire soup making process takes no time at all. Enjoy and pair with a glass of delicious bubbly!

This dish was inspired by one of the most famous New Orleans chefs, Emeril Lagasse.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 strips bacon, diced

½ cup sweet onion, minced

1 ½ tsp fresh garlic, minced

1 pint shucked Pacific oysters with liquor

3 ½ cups whipping cream

1 large bin (approximately 8 cups) fresh spinach, washed

½ cup parsley leaves, washed

1/3 cup Pernod or Sambucca

In a large soup pot, cook the bacon stirring, until browned – approximately 4 minutes. Remove enough to use as garnish and set aside on a paper towel to drain. Add the onion and sauté another 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and stir for one minute.

Pour in oysters with their liquor and the cream, stir and bring to the boil, stir in spinach and parsley, and stir for 30 seconds and then turn off heat.

Stir in Pernod or Sambuca.

Scoop out a couple of oysters to reserve for serving. Puree soup with a handheld blender, or after it cools, in batches in a standard blender and then reheat gently before serving.

When ready to serve, ladle into bowls, dividing chopped large pieces of oyster between the bowls and top with the reserved chopped bacon. YUM!!!