Farmers Market Favorite: Oyster & Mushroom Bisque

This weekend at the market, this quick and easy Oyster & Mushroom Bisque drew rave reviews. All of the flavor without all of the gluttony, we made some simple adjustments, like substituting a combination of seafood stock and rice milk for most of the dairy, finishing with a fraction of the cream called for in traditional recipes. adding bulk and nutrition in the form of mushrooms and spring onions, and seasoning well for full flavor while reducing sodium where possible. 
For additional information about this gluten-free, low(er) fat, low(er) calorie favorite with all of the richness of its decadent parent, including local Texas Farmers’ Market vendor and farmer sources, see information following the recipe, below.

Oyster & Mushroom Bisque

Serves 6

2T extra virgin olive oil, separated

1 bunch spring onions, sliced

1 pound mixed mushrooms, sliced

1 pint oysters (liquor, reserved)

1 pint seafood stock, reduced sodium, divided

4 T tapioca flour

1 pint unsweetened rice milk

½ bunch Italian parsley, de-stemmed and chopped

 1 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste

1 +/- tablespoon sea salt, to taste

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a medium sauté pan, warm olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering.  Sauté sliced spring onion until limp. Remove and reserve. Adding olive oil if necessary, saute sliced mixed mushroom over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until edges are browned. Remove and reserve. Add drained oysters to skillet, and sauté, stirring frequently over high heat until oysters just begin to firm and brown a bit on the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool until able to handle, then chop coarsely and reserve. Deglaze saute pan with one cup seafood stock, scraping bits from the bottom of the pan as stock comes to a rolling simmer, stirring frequently, and reducing stock over medium high heat, for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a screw-top jar, combine rice milk and tapioca flour. Shake vigorously to combine.  Transfer to a large soup pot and bring to a slow boil, whisking frequently. Add reduced stock, remaining one cup of stock, reserved onion, mushroom, and oysters. Stirring frequently, allow to thicken over a medium boil. Add enough rice milk to thin to preferred consistency, stirring well to combine, then parsley, cayenne pepper, and sea salt to taste.  Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup heavy whipping cream. Correct seasonings. Serve.

At the Texas Farmers' Market- Lakeline:

Oysters-- K & S Seafood

Crimini, Portabella, and Button Mushrooms-- Kitchen Pride Mushrooms

Spring onions and parsley-- JBG Organics

Extra virgin olive oil-- Texas Hill Country Olive Company

At the Texas Farmers' Market- Mueller, a version was served Sans Mushrooms. 

In a perfect example of the camaraderie enjoyed by many of the texas Farmers' market vendors, a very special thank you to market-prepared food vendor, Knotty Nice Bakery, for coming to my rescue with their stash of Tapioca Flour this weekend. They not only saved a trip and a dish, but they taught me about a new-to-me product, and provided the opportunity to create a gluten-free version of this formerly gluten-full decadent favorite. Stop by their market booth for delicious gluten-free waffles and your favorite sweet. 

More about Tapioca Flour, from Bob's Red Mill:

Tapioca flour, also known as tapioca starch, is a starchy white flour that has a slight sweet flavor to it. Tapioca flour is an alternative to traditional wheat flours and has a variety of uses in baking. The flour is made from the starch extracted from the South American cassava plant. When the roots have fully developed, they are harvested and processed to remove toxins. The starch is then extracted from the root by a repeated process of washing and pulping the mixture, then separating off the liquid. Tapioca flour helps bind gluten free recipes and improves the texture of baked goods. Tapioca helps add crispness to crusts and chew to baked goods. Tapioca flour is an extremely smooth flour, which makes for a great thickener in sauces, pies and soups since it never discolors and contains no discernible taste or smell. It can also be used to replace corn starch (use 2 Tbsp tapioca flour for each 1 Tbsp corn starch).