This recipe for Spinach and Oyster Chowder comes from the Loch Fyne Oysters Shop.

Loch Fyne started with one inspirational idea - to grow oysters in the clear, fertile waters of Loch Fyne - and has developed into a cluster of businesses whose success is built on an honest approach to superb quality food.

All Loch Fyne businesses abide by the guiding environmental principles established by John Noble and Andy Lane at the outset. The companies work together to ensure that only the very best produce - farmed and fished to the highest quality and environmental standards - reaches the kitchens and plates of their customers.

Ingredients

500g Washed baby spinach
12 Loch Fyne oysters
15g Butter
2  Shallots peeled and finely chopped
200g peeled and cubed Red Rooster potatoes
800ml Fish stock
½ Lemon for juice
200ml Double cream
 Small bunch of fresh tarragon, chopped
 Maldon sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
3 Egg yolks

Method

• Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan, add the shallots and soften without colour for 2 minutes.

• Pour in the fish stock, add the potatoes and bring to the boil. Simmer until potatoes are cooked al dente.

• Remove the diced potatoes and reserve.

• Bring the pan of stock back to the boil, reducing the stock by a 1/3.

• Add the spinach and cook for 30 seconds until spinach wilts.

• Carefully liquidise the soup on high speed to get fine bright green liquor.

• Pass through a fine mesh sieve ensuring that you get as much of the soup through the sieve as possible.

• Place in a clean saucepan, reserve to one side.

• Open the oysters straining the juices and keeping this liquor for the soup.

• In a small saucepan, bring the oyster liquor to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer.

• Whip 50ml of the cream to a soft peak, reserve.

• Mix the remaining cream and egg yolks together.

• Bring the soup to the boil, add in the potatoes, lemon juice and check seasoning.

• Poach the oysters for 45 seconds in the oyster liquor, remove, reserve and strain the liquor into the soup.

• Add the tarragon, egg yolk and cream into the soup and stir for 1 minute while it thickens (do not boil or the egg yolk will scramble) check seasoning.

To serve:

• Divide 3 oysters into each of your soup bowls.

• Gently ladle the bright green soup into your bowls.

• Garnish with the whipped cream and serve immediately.

• Serve with tomato flavoured bread.
  

Serves 4

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