BBQ Oysters with Spicy Dressing
INGREDIENTS
4 dozen oysters, scrubbed
DIRECTIONS
Heat grill until very hot. Place oysters on grill. When shells open (in about 3 minutes), use an oyster knife to detach oyster from top shell. Loosen top shell, and discard. Spoon 1 tablespoon Spicy Dressing over oysters before serving.
Spicy Dressing
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup natural rice vinegar
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed and strained lime juice
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before using. Serve over Barbecued Oysters.
Fried Oyster Po’Boy
INGREDIENTS
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon plus pinch cayenne pepper, divided
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
48 freshly shucked oysters, drained
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups safflower oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
6 top-split hot dog buns
Tartar Sauce, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Mix together buttermilk, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add oysters and turn to coat; let stand 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, mix together cornmeal, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of cayenne; set aside.
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan with high sides, heat oil to 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.
Dredge oysters in cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess. Working in batches, quickly and carefully add oysters to hot oil and cook, turning, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer oysters to a plate lined with paper towels; season with salt.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spread butter on both sides of hot dog buns and place in the skillet on their sides, turning, until evenly browned.
Spread tartar sauce in the bottom of each bun. Top with fried oysters, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Modern Oysters Rockefeller
INGREDIENTS
48 small to medium oysters, such as Wellfleet or Beau Soleil, scrubbed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch slices
6 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Coarse salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Herbsaint (anise flavored spirit)
4 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 tablespoon finely chopped oil-packed anchovy fillets, in their oil
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 pound baby spinach, stemmed, washed, and chopped
1 pound fresh watercress, stemmed, washed, and chopped
2 sprigs fresh basil, chopped
2 sprigs fresh tarragon, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted panko
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
2 scallions, trimmed, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 to 2 lemons
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place a strainer over a medium bowl; gently shuck the oysters over the strainer, using the strainer to catch the meat and strain the liquor into the bowl. Reserve the deeper halves of each oyster shell (discarding remaining shells) and scrub clean under cold running water; dry shells and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet; set aside.
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots; season with salt and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Add Herbsaint and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add garlic and anchovies and their oil; stir to combine. Season with salt. Add heavy cream and reserved oyster juices; let cook 1 minute. Stir in spinach, watercress, basil, and tarragon. Cook until mixture thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. If mixture seems too thick, add a little water or heavy cream to thin.
Place reserved oyster shells in oven and bake until warm, about 2 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix together cheese, panko, and breadcrumbs until well combined; set aside.
Spoon scant tablespoon spinach mixture into each of the shells and top each with a whole oyster. Top with a little more of the spinach mixture and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to oven and bake until oysters are warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.
Preheat broiler. Place oysters under broiler to brown. Garnish with scallions and season with lemon juice; serve immediately.