Oyster and plantation soup

 
                         OYSTER AND PLANTATION SOUP
 
 Recipe By     : CHEF PAUL PRUDHOMME
 Serving Size  : 6    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Soups & Stews
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    2      teaspoons     salt
    1 1/2  teaspoons     garlic powder
    1 1/2  teaspoons     white pepper
    1      teaspoon      dried basil
    1      teaspoon      cayenne pepper
    1      teaspoon      onion powder
    1      teaspoon      dried tarragon leaves
    1      teaspoon      dried ancho chile peppers
      1/2  teaspoon      dried thyme leaves
    1      tablespoon    all purpose flour
    1      cup           chicken stock
    2      tablespoons   butter
    1      cup           chopped onion
    2      ripe          plantains *see note
    2      13 ounce      cans unsweeteed cocnut milk
    1      cup           heavy cream
    1      pint          fresh shucked oysters -- in their liquor,
                          -- liquid inside shell
 
 combine the seasoning mix ingredients in small bowl.  Dissolve the flour in 2
 tablespoons of the stock.  Melt butter in a heavy 5 quart pot over high heat.
 When it sizzles, add the onions and plantations and cook, stirring constantly,
 until the onions begin to brown and the plantains are tender, about 8 minutes.
 Add the remaining stock and deglaze the pot (that's just a fancy professional
 chef's term for scraping and using the liquid to loosen the brown bits.)  Add
 the seasoning mix, flour-stock mixture, and coconut milk.  Stir well, then
 stir in the heavy cream.  Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly, and add
 the oysters and their liquor.  Return to a gently boil, reduce the heat to
 medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, just untilt he oysters are heated
 through.  about 3 minutes.  Remove fromt he heat and serve.
 
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 NOTES : PLANTATION:  A TROPICAL FRUIT LARGE THAN BUT VERY SIMILAR TO BANANAS,
 ARE GENERALLY COOKED BEFORE SERVING.  WHETHER THEY ARE USED GREEN OR RIPE
 DEPEND UPON THE PARTICULAR RECIPE.  MOST LATIN AMERICAN MARKETS KEEP A GOOD
 SUPPLY  OF THE POPULAR FRUIT ON HAND.