Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  4        tablespoons  butter -- ( 1/2 stick)
  1           teaspoon  olive oil
  1             medium  onion -- chopped
  2                     shallots -- chopped (optional)
  2        tablespoons  all-purpose flour
  1           teaspoon  salt
     1/2      teaspoon  white pepper
     1/4           cup  heavy cream -- (1/4 to 1/2)
  1             bottle  clam juice -- (8 ounce)
     1/4           cup  white wine (optional if you want soup
                        thinner)
  1         tablespoon  fresh thyme or chives -- or 1 1/2
  1           teaspoon  dried
  1               pint  oysters
                        Minced parsley (for garnish)
  4                     half-teaspoons butter (for garnish)

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, melt butter and add oil over medium-high heat. When butter has melted, add onion and shallots and cook until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add flour to make a light roux; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, but do not brown. Add salt, white pepper, cream (adjust quantity for desired consistency of soup) and clam juice. If you'd like a thinner soup, add the white wine. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add thyme or chives and oysters. Cook oysters just until edges are curled, about 1 minute. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and a pat of butte

Nutritional Information:

1118 Calories (kcal); 85g Total Fat; (67% calories from fat); 40g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; 468mg Cholesterol; 3792mg Sodium