Fresh, Funky, and Foolhardy Oyster Recipes

I like my oysters straight from the sea. But I've noticed a bounty of unusual recipes lately starring oysters in some surprising dishes. Heck, Oysters Rockefeller was a shot in the dark … maybe one of these will someday be a classic. 

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OYSTER NACHOS

Oyster Nachos and Oysters Supreme, Ouzts' Too Oyster Bar
Photo: Florida Sportman

I tweeted (@OysterBuzz) about these oyster nachos awhile back. It's so outrageous it has to be tasted at least once. Ouzts' Too Oyster Bar in Crawfordville, Florida, is known locally for fresh shucked oysters. In addition to oyster shooters, they have two other oyster dishes on the menu: Oyster Nachos and Oysters Supreme. Here's the recipe as Tommy Thompson at Florida Sportsman wrote:

Oysters Supreme/Oysters Nachos

Arrange a dozen or so small or medium shucked oysters (save the large ones to eat raw!) on a microwaveable plate or platter. Take care to free the oyster from the bottom shell when you’re shucking as that makes eating easier. Put about a half-teaspoon of butter on each oyster, and then add either a teaspoon of chopped cooked bacon or a slice of pickled jalapeño pepper. Top with some shredded cheddar cheese and microwave on high power for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on how well done you like your oysters. Serve with cold beer—of course!

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OYSTER CATSUP

In the late 1800s, oysters were everywhere. Rich or poor, everyone ate them. The 1887 White House Cookbook has dozens of recipes for oyster stews, casseroles, and more. Oyster catsup always stuck out at me for its originality. Here's the recipe exactly as it appears in the cookbook:

One pint of oyster meats, one teacupful of sherry, a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, the same of powdered mace, a gill of cider vinegar.

Procure the oysters very fresh and open sufficient to fill a pint measure; save the liquor and scald the oysters in it with the sherry; strain the oysters and chop them fine with the salt, cayenne and mace, until reduced to a pulp; then add it to the liquor in which they were scalded; boil it again five minutes and skim well; rub the whole through a sieve, and, when cold, bottle and cork closely. The corks should be sealed.

Find more White House oyster recipes from 1887 at www.harborislandoyster.com.

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OYSTERS TOPPED WITH PASSION FRUIT CAVIAR

Fruit Juice Caviar
Photo: Lexie's Kitchen

We've talked about flavor pairings before (kiwi and oysters were a delicious treat). Paste Magazine took it one step further and suggests oysters topped with passion fruit caviar. The inventive food blogger, Lexie, from Lexie's Kitchen gives us the 4-1-1 to make passion fruit "caviar."

Ingredients:
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/3 c passion fruit juice puree
1/4 t agar agar powder

Directions: 
Chill the vegetable oil in a tall glass. Mix passion fruit juice and agar agar in saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer for 2 minutes or until agar dissolves. Let agar/juice mixture cool for 5 minutes. Fill a straw with the cooled mixture and let droplets of it fall from the straw, one at a time, into the cold oil. The caviar pearls will form on contact with the oil. Strain the caviar out of the glass and rinse with water. Until you’re ready to use them, store them in water. When you’re ready to top your oysters with the caviar, simply take them out of the water and place them on a paper towel. Pat them dry and top your oysters. Note: Agar agar powder is available at Amazon.com and in Asian grocery stores.

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OYSTER STUFFING CAKES

Move over blue crabs … oyster cakes are in the house. I found this recipe by chef Peter Woods in The New York Times:

INGREDIENTS:

Oyster Stuffing Cake
Photo: Jay Paul for The New York Times

1 pint freshly shucked Eastern (virginica) oysters and their liquor, finely chopped. 
12 oz stale bread cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 oz (1/3 c) freshly grated Parmesan
1 stick unsalted butter
3 slices bacon, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, plus extra for binding
2T fresh oregano, chopped fine
2T fresh thyme, chopped fine
6 fresh sage leaves, minced
2t ground coriander
course salt
black pepper
canola oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine oysters and their liquor, bread and cheese. Set aside.
2. In a heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bacon and let cook 3-5 min., until fat has rendered and bacon is cooked through but not crisp.
3. Add celery and onion, stir to coat, then add stock and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until vegetables have softened, 10 min. Add herbs and coriander, mix well and turn off heat.
4. Add vegetable mixture to bread mixture in bowls. Toss well, season to taste with salt and pepper, then refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours, or overnight.
5. When ready to cook, form chilled mixture into 3 1/2 oz patties, about the size of a clementine. Let patties come to cool room temp. Heat oil in a skillet and working in batches pan-fry patties, turning once, until browned on both sides and hot all the way through. Serve hot. 

Makes 12 patties.

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WATERMELON MARGARITA OYSTER SHOOTERS

Vodka oyster shooters. Snooze. Watermelon Margartia Oyster Shooters? Hello! Chef Ben Pollinger at Oceana Restaurant in NYC creates oyster shooters that make you want to dance. Thanks to Food Republic for the recipes.

Place freshly shucked oysters in the bottom of a tall shot glass. You choose how many.

Watermelon Margarita:

• 1 oz. fresh watermelon juice, or muddled chunks of watermelon
• 3/4 oz. tequila
• 1/4 oz. Cointreau
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• garnished with pickled watermelon rind

Bellini:

• 3/4 oz. white peach purée
• 1/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. Thai chili simple syrup
• 1/4 oz. white rum
• Float of sparkling wine

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OYSTER AND MUSHROOM TAPAS

The Cooking Channel has become a dumping ground for weird cooking shows that would never make it in the Big Leagues, but has the draw of watching a bad car wreck in slow motion. As a result, it's also a mecca for unusual recipes made with just about anything. This recipe from Graham Quayle looks good enough to actually eat.

Oyster and Mushroom Tapas
Photo: Cooking Channel

Ingredients:
4 oysters
4 pieces thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1t peanut oil
2 oz soy sauce

Directions:
Place oysters on grill until shell opens. Remove top shell and place a piece of shiitake mushroom and green onion on oysters. Heat the peanut oil, then add soy sauce. Pour oil/soy sauce liquid over oysters for a sizzling effect.

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CRISPY OYSTERS ON YUCCA ROOT CHIPS

Crispy Oysters on Yucca Root Chips
Photo: Food Network

I am not a fan of fried oysters. I've eaten famous fried oysters across the South, and I just can't warm up to them. But, yet, these fried oysters on yucca root chips with harbanero honey aioli sound intriguing. Chef Alma Alcocer-Thomas from Jeffrey's Restaurant in Austin, Tex., may just change my mind. 


INGREDIENTS:
Habanero Honey Aioli
2T Dijon Mustard
2T honey
1/2 c washed and chopped cilantro leaves
1 habanero chile, seeded and chopped
1T lemon juice
4 egg yolks
1c salad oil
1/2t salt

Yucca Root Chips
1 large yucca root, peeled and thinly sliced
soybean oil
1/2c fine sea salt
4 lemons, zested

Crispy Oysters
1c buttermilk
1c all purpose flour
20 fresh plump oysters
1/2c pico de gallo

DIRECTIONS:

In a blender, blend together mustard, honey, cilantro, habanero and lemon juice. Puree this into a smooth paste. Add egg yolks and blend briefly to incorporate. Remove the clear plastic piece from the center of the blender lid. With the blender running, gradually add the oil in a thin stream until the mixture thickens into a light emulsified mayonnaise. Season with salt and set aside.

Soak the thinly sliced yucca root in hot water. Add 3 inches of soybean oil to a deep-fryer or deep skillet and preheat to 375 degrees F. Evenly mix the fine sea salt and the lemon zest and set aside. Remove the yucca root slices from the hot water and pat dry to remove any excess moisture. Place the dried yucca slices in the hot oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly brown. Shake them gently when removing them from the fryer so that they don't stick together. Place chips on absorbent paper and dust with the lemon salt while they are still hot. Set aside.

Maintain the 375 degree F of the frying soybean oil. Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl; in separate shallow bowl add flour. First drop oysters into buttermilk and then transfer to the bowl containing the flour. Toss oysters in flour just enough to lightly coat them. Transfer oysters to a frying basket and lower into the hot oil. Fry oysters for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light brown. Transfer oysters to a paper towel or absorbent paper. 

To assemble, place a yucca root chip on plate, place crispy oyster on top of chip, spoon a dollop of aioli onto the oyster and then sprinkle with pico de gallo.

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FLOUNDER FILLETS WITH LEEK AND OYSTER CRUST

What's going to be the new umami flavor this year? Oyster liquor. From our friends in New Zealand at The Great Food Race comes a heightened appreciation for oyster juice. (The recipe calls for using oyster liquor, cream and lemon to moistened the crumb and oyster stuffing.) Hoping to see more recipes starring oyster liquor. Click here for the full recipe. 

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OYSTER OMELETTE

Photo: Taiwan Duck

Got the late night munchies in Taiwan? Oyster omelets are on every street corner. These omelets aren't new, but to my American's senses, it is funky. Ingredients include ketchup, peanut butter, plum powder, eggs, sweet potato flour, fish sauce - and oysters. 

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Bravo chefs! Keep the innovation going. I truly believe that everyone can like oysters and adding new flavors can only help widen the appeal. Have a recipe for a weird or unusual oyster dish? Please let me know at kim[at]harborislandoyster[dot]com.