Creole Oyster Stew

Creole Oyster stew is milk-based. The milk is heated separately and added after the other ingredients have been taken off the flame. The oysters will curl slightly at their edges, but must not be over-cooked. The oysters must be freshly shucked, and never washed commercially. Avoid commercially packed pints of oysters. If freshly shucked oysters are unavailable, clam juice may be substituted for the oyster broth, but the substitution is easily detected by a person from Louisiana.