MOCK MOCK OYSTER SOUP

Makes 40 servings

2 gallons oysters

4 cups oyster liquor

2 quarts heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup olive oil

4 large yellow onions, minced

1 head celery, chopped

6 tablespoons minced garlic

2 bunches cilantro, chopped

8 cans Campbell's cream of mushroom soup

2 tablespoons Zatarain's concentrated liquid crab boil

3 tablespoons sugar

16 ounce package mushrooms, sliced

Liquefy 1 gallon of oysters in a blender or food processor. Warm oyster liquor gently and combine in a large container with cream and liquefied oysters. Blend gently.

In a 16-quart pot, heat olive oil and saute onions, garlic and celery. Add oyster-cream mixture to pot, then add all other ingredients except mushrooms and whole oysters.

Simmer for 1 hour. Gently heat the remaining gallon of oysters to warm. (This will prevent the cream from curdling when oysters are added to the soup.)

Add warmed, whole oysters and sliced mushrooms and return soup to a boil. About 25 minutes after the oysters are added, and 2 or 3 minutes after the soup returns to a boil, the edges of the oysters will begin to curl. Remove from heat. (If oysters are allowed to boil for an extended period, they become tough and the flavor is diminished.)