Fresh Oyster Recipes

Fresh Oyster Recipes - Oysters range in flavor from buttery sweet and slightly salty to rich, briny and slightly metallic. Connoisseurs enjoy them raw or barely cooked, but this versatile favorite is just as good steamed, baked, grilled, broiled, sautéed, fried or frittered. So tasty that you will forget they are low calorie, high in vitamins and minerals and even used medicinally. Sold in shell.

Pan Fried Oysters with Aged Sherry Sauce and Osetra Caviar

Pan Fried Oyster Recipe
Oysters:
12 oysters, shucked and 1/2 shell reserved
1 cup yellow cornmeal, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 cup peanut oil
2 1/2 ounces osetra caviar

Aged Sherry Sauce:
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
1 cup aged sherry vinegar
2 sticks, very cold butter, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper

For the Oysters: Dredge oysters in cornmeal. Heat oil in a large skillet until almost smoking. Sauté oysters on each side for 1 minute. Spoon 2 teaspoons of butter sauce into each reserved shell. Top with an oyster and a heaping teaspoon of caviar

For the Aged Sherry Sauce: Place shallots and sherry vinegar in a small saucepan and reduce to 1 tablespoon over high heat. Whisk in the butter, piece by piece. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Spicy Fried Oysters on Jalapeno Caesar Salad

Jalapeno Caesar Dressing:
2 large egg yolks
4 cloves smoked garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
4 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons hot mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup olive oil
4 roasted and chopped red jalapenos
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt, to taste

Oysters:
16 medium-large fresh oysters
2 cups dried cornbread crumbs
1 Serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup peanut oil

Salad:
1 large head romaine, outer leaves removed, cleaned, dried, and diced
1/4 cup Cojita or Mexican Farmer's cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted and finely ground

To make dressing, combine egg yolks, garlic, shallots, anchovies, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and balsamic vinegar in a blender. Puree until smooth. Slowly add oils until dressing is emulsified and creamy. Add chopped jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste.

Shuck oysters and reserve juice (or have the fishmonger do this for you).

In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, Serrano chili, garlic, cayenne pepper, and black pepper, mixing well.

Lift oysters out of juice, 1 at a time, and dredge in crumb mixture to coat heavily. Strain and reserve 1 tablespoon oyster liquor for vinaigrette. Place breaded oysters on waxed paper until ready to fry.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Carefully place oysters in pan, 1 at a time. Brown for 2 minutes, turn, and brown other side for about 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove and keep warm.

Toss romaine with Caesar Dressing. Place on 4 plates and sprinkle cheese and pomegranate seeds on salad. Dust plate with powdered pumpkin seeds. Place 4 fried oysters on each salad. Serve immediately.


Baked Tasso Butter Oysters

8 oysters
1 stick butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced garlic
8 ounces finely diced tasso ham
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Spice Mix, recipe follows

Shuck oysters. Combine the butter and garlic. Top each oyster with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 ounce of tasso, and sprinkle with Parmesan and pinch of Spice Mix. Grill over high heat until oysters curl and cheese melts.

Spice Mix:
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper

Combine ingredients.