Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      pound         fresh spinach -- stemmed or 10 oz
                        -- pkg frozen chopped
                        -- spinach,
                        thawed and squeezed dry
   1 1/2  cups          chicken stock
   1      small         onion -- minced
   2                    garlic cloves -- minced
   1                    celery rib -- finely chopped
   1      pint          oysters -- freshly shucked
                        -- liquor reserved
   2      cups          half-and-half or light cream
   3      tablespoons   Pernod
     1/4  cup           parmesan cheese -- freshly grated (or
                        -- Romano)
   1 1/2  teaspoons     anise seed
     1/2  teaspoon      salt
     1/8  teaspoon      pepper -- freshly ground
                        lemon slices -- for garnish

Preparation:

If using fresh spinach, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Squeeze as dry as possible. Place the fresh or frozen spinach in a food processor and turn the machine on and off until finely chopped. In a large saucepan, heat 1/3 c of the chicken stock over moderately high heat. Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining chicken stock, the oyster liquor and the spinach. Slowly add the half-and-half and mix well. Simmer the soup for 8 minutes, stirring constantly to blend the flavors. Add the Pernod and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cheese, anise seed, salt and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and add the oysters. Garnish each serving with a slice of lemon. Marcelle Bienvenu, Oak Alley Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana