¼ cup olive oil

1 medium yellow onion diced

10 garlic cloves minced

¾ cup chopped fresh fennel bulb

1 ½ cup chopped wild mushrooms (shitake, oyster or chanterelle)

8 roma tomatoes diced

½ cup chopped Italian parsley

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream

1 pound drained small oysters with the liquid reserved

Kosher salt

Coarse black pepper

1. Heat a heavy bottom soup pot on medium high heat and add the olive oil, a few pinches of salt, onion, garlic and fennel bulb.
2. Sauté this mixture until it begins to soften.
3. Add the mushrooms and parsley and sauté for 2 minutes.
4. Add the roma tomatoes and sauté until very soft.
5. Stir in the white wine and reserved oyster liquid. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes.
6. Add the heavy cream and bring back to a low simmer.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Add the oysters and cook until they begin to curl, about 2 minutes
9. Ladle into warm bowls and serve.

This rich stew is great served on a cold autumn night with some nice crusty lightly toasted Italian or French bread drizzled with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Pair this with a light dry Italian white wine.