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Seafood Stew

James's Oyster & Sea Urchin Stew

OYSTER AND SEA URCHIN STEW Servings: 4

16 oysters in the shell

8 sea urchins, or 1/2 cup sea urchin roe

1 bunch of spinach

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons heavy cream

salt and white pepper

2 teaspoons fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped

Shuck the oysters into a bowl and refrigerate. Discard the shells.
Cut into the top of the sea urchins and then around the sides with a strong pair of scissors.
 Carefully spoon out the orange or yellow roe and reserve it in a small bowl in the refrigerator.
If you're serving the stew in the sea urchin shells, scrub them thoroughly and dry them in a 200 degree oven
 Blanch the spinach leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds, rinse them in a colander under cold running water, squeeze out the excess water and reserve. Warm the oysters in their liquid in a saucepan over medium heat until the liquid barely begins to simmer at the edge of the pan and the oysters begin to curl around the edges, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the
hot oysters to a clean kitchen towel or clean napkin so any grit will pull off the oysters
and cling to the towel. Strain the oyster-cooking liquid through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan.
Add the lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of the heavy cream to the oyster liquid and simmer
gently for about 5 minutes, until the mixture has the consistency of cold heavy cream.
Meanwhile, simmer the remaining tablespoon of cream in a small pan until it thickens.
Season with salt and pepper and add the spinach. Stir for a minute over medium heat to heat the spinach.
Arrange the spinach in a small mound in the center of each soup plate or sea urchin shell.
Gently stir the chives, oysters and sea urchin roe into the oyster sauce and heat
gently--without boiling--for about 30 seconds. Arrange the oysters and roe around and over the spinach.
Make sure everyone gets 4 oysters. Spoon over the sauce. Serve immediately.

There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude... a quiet joy.

- Ralph H. Blum