Ingredients

• 25g/1oz unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 rashers streaky bacon
• finely chopped
• 1 large onion
• peeled
• finely chopped
• 250ml/9fl oz dry white wine
• 400g/14oz cooked picked cockles
• rinsed thoroughly (or 1kg/2lb 2oz raw cockles
• in the shells
• cleaned thoroughly inside and out)
• 3 floury potatoes
• such as Maris Piper or King Edward
• peeled and chopped
• 500ml/17½l;fl oz milk
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh curly-leaved parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp double cream
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper
• 60g/2½oz unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 500ml/17½fl oz full-fat milk
• 110g/4oz strong cheddar cheese
• grated
• 24 fresh
• good-quality oysters
• shucked
• half the shells reserved (discard any oysters that are dry inside)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh curly-leaved parsley
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 5 tbsp finely chopped shallots
• 12-24 native or rock oysters (to taste)
• shucked
• shells and shell juices reserved
• dash Tabasco sauce
• to taste
• dash Worcestershire sauce
• to taste
• 1 lemon
• cut into wedges
• crushed ice
• buttered sourdough bread

Directions

• For the Essex cockle chowder
• heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. When the butter is foaming
• add the bacon and onion and fry for 4-5 minutes
• or until the bacon is crisp and golden-brown and the onions have softened but not coloured. Remove the onions and bacon from the pan and set aside.
• Add the wine to the pan the onions and bacon were cooked in and bring to a rolling boil.
• If using fresh cockles
• add them to the pan and boil for 3-4 minutes
• or the shells have opened (discard any cockles that do not open during cooking). (NB: If using cooked cockles
• skip this step.)
• Remove the cockles from the pan using a slotted spoon
• remove them from their shells and set aside to cool (reserve the cooking liquid).
• Continue to boil the wine until it has reduced in volume by half. Set aside and keep warm.
• Meanwhile
• in a separate saucepan
• parboil the potatoes in salted
• boiling water for 5-6 minutes
• or until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
• Return the reduced cooking liquid to the heat
• add the milk and parboiled potatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the potatoes are starting to fall apart.
• Add the cooked cockles
• parsley
• thyme and cream to the mixture and return the cooked bacon and onion. Stir well. Heat through for 2-3 minutes
• being careful not to overcook the cockles. Season
• to taste
• with sea salt flakes and ground white pepper.
• Meanwhile
• for the oysters Mornay
• preheat the grill to its highest setting.
• Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and heat until a smooth paste forms.
• Whisk in the milk a little at a time
• making sure that each addition of milk has been incorporated into the mixture and the mixture has thickened slightly before adding the next.
• When all of the milk has been incorporated into the mixture and a smooth
• thick white sauce has formed
• stir in half of the grated cheese and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Arrange the oysters
• in their shells
• in rows in a grill pan and spoon over the cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese and grill for 4-5 minutes
• or until the cheese has melted and is golden-brown.
• Just before serving
• sprinkle over the parsley.
• Meanwhile
• for the traditional oysters
• in a bowl
• whisk together the red wine vinegar and shallots and set aside for five minutes.
• Cover a serving platter with the ice. Push the shucked oysters (in their shells
• with the shell juices) into the ice.
• Serve the red wine and shallot mixture alongside in a ramekin
• along with the lemon wedges and small bottles of Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
• To serve
• spoon the Essex cockle chowder into 4-6 serving bowls. Place the bowls onto large serving plates and divide the oysters Mornay equally among the plates. Serve with the traditional oysters
• sourdough bread and butter.