2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 quart milk, scalded
2 cups oysters
¾ cup heavy cream, scalded
2 tablespoons sherry
1. In a heavy saucepan, cook the celery in butter until yellow in color. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper; cook until bubbly. Blend in the scalded milk, cooking and stirring until thickened and smooth.
2. Heat the oysters in their liquor until the edges curl. Drain and reserve the liquor. Finely chop the oysters and rub them through a fine sieve or puree oysters in a blender.
3. Add the oysters to the white sauce alternately with the cream. Add sherry. (If bisque seems too thick, thin it with some of the oyster liquor.)
ABOUT 1 ½ QUARTS SOUP