1/2 cup butter
1 cup minced celery
1/4 cup minced shallots
liquid from 1 quart oysters, strained
5 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1 cup simmering milk mixture
1 quart shucked oysters
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to taste
Melt butter in a heavy kettle. Add the celery and shallots. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes over moderately low heat until vegetables are soft. Pour in the strained liquid, milk and cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer. (Do not boil.)
Beat the egg yolks lightly in a small bowl. Whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks; stir the milk-egg mixture into the kettle. Add the oysters, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring, until bisque is lightly thickened, and the edges of the oysters have curled. Do not let the bisque come to a boil. Transfer to a heated soup tureen and sprinkle with the paprika.