Monday, April 18, 2016

O is for Oysters

As a young woman, I intensely disliked oysters, which is such a shame as my parents loved them and would scarf them down at the drop of a hat. I remember a time on one of our boats, we happened to go aground – I don’t know if it was intentional, but when the tide went out we were right in the middle of some oyster beds, then oddly enough, my uncle fell overboard and when he did he just happened to have a sack in his hand. Later after much prepping, my parents called us kids in to try them. I had one and yuk, my boyfriend didn’t like them either, but I had an exchange student from France staying with me and after calling her in they had to throw her out – my father said it was like a Disney movie, the shells piled up and the bread went down. Some 40 or so years later, when we lived in North Carolina, I learned to love them. Matt even built me a small fireplace in our backyard solely for steaming oysters. Googling I learn there are lots of different kinds of oysters and they are of the same family as the humble clam. Oysters have been eaten since pre-history. Oyster shell middens have been found in ancient coastal sites. They were an important food source for primitive man. Like so many things, overfishing has decreased their numbers and pollution or disease has also decimated the oyster population as well. Some types of oysters are harvested only for their production of pearls. They may well be returned to the sea. It is widely believed that oysters are an aphrodisiac and in fact some of their nutrition content can stimulate the male sex drive. It is widely believed that oysters should not be eaten in the summer or in months without an R in them. There is some basis for this because they can spoil very easily in the summer months. 

Oysters can be eaten in many ways, my parents always ate them raw. I learned to eat them steamed and enjoyed them. Since then I have eaten them raw and enjoyed them too, especially when I had some top notch oysters in England once. Delicious. Oysters Rockerfeller is a very famous dish. I have never eaten it though.

Oysters Rockefeller



Makes 8 first-course servings


BON APPÉTIT | SEPTEMBER 1999

The original recipe for oysters Rockefeller, created at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine's in 1899, remains a secret to this day. The appetizer, oysters topped with a mixture of finely chopped greens and copious amounts of butter and then baked in their shells, was considered so rich that it had to be named after the richest man of the day, John D. Rockefeller. A few years later, no self-respecting restaurateur would be without his own version on the menu. This lighter take features spinach, watercress, green onions and grated Parmesan.


Ingredients
1 garlic clove
2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach
1 bunch watercress, stems trimmed
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Pernod or other anise-flavored liqueur
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 pound (about) rock salt
24 fresh oysters, shucked, shells reserved
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Finely chop garlic in processor. Add spinach, watercress and green onions to garlic. Process, using on/off turns, until mixture is finely chopped. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.

Combine butter, breadcrumbs, Pernod, fennel and hot sauce in processor. Process until well blended. Return spinach mixture to processor. Process, using on/off turns, just until mixtures are blended. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)

Sprinkle rock salt over large baking sheet to depth of 1/2 inch. Arrange oysters in half shells atop rock salt. Top each oyster with 1 tablespoon spinach mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until spinach mixture browns on top, about 8 minutes.


Have a great day

32 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - loathed oysters early on - much to my father's pleasure .. he was paying for them individually! Your story is much more fun ...

    Loved oysters once I was in SA ... we had them as specials and then made a goodly meal of them .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Isn't it funny how we hated them at the beginning Hilary. English oysters are delicious, especially in Whitstable.

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  2. I had oysters Rockefeller at the old Joe Muer's in Detroit. I am pretty sure I have never made them at home.

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    1. Never eaten them that way Denise, but I ate many, many steamed oysters in NC whilst we lived there.

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  3. Oysters have never agreed with me and always make my wife ill so we quickly gave them up.

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    1. Sorry to hear that Bob. I love them so much these days and in the UK you can get such wonderful oysters.

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  4. I've only had oysters once in an Italian restaurant as an appetizer kind of thing. They were okay, but not impressive enough for me to want to try them again :)

    betty

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    1. I guess it depends how they were prepared Betty. Traditionally in England they are eaten raw. I learned to like them steamed with some hot sauce on them. Then I tried eating them raw again and loved them.

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  5. I never had one even when I could eat shellfish! I don't do raw anything though. They are big here on Cape Cod, and also out in Washington...the Hood Canal oysters are really big.

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    1. Of course, they don't have to be eaten raw JoJo but you don't care now anyway. I see I shall have to come back to your neck of the woods. I miss my oysters and my fresh shrimp.

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    1. We used to steam/cook them in the back yard and I would sprinkle with a dab of Tabasco and shovel them down Alex. Delicious. Not sure how far you are from the ocean.

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  7. I'm not sure I would eat them raw unless I had a few drinks in me:) I a game to try them though.

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    1. Start by trying them steamed if you can Birgit. Always assuming you can find oysters anyway.

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  8. One of the best dishes I have ever had was raw oysters severed very cold topped with shaved ice/crème fraiche/horseradish. Amazing.
    Melanie Schulz from
    Melanie Schulz.com

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    1. That sounds absolutely delicious Melanie. I would like to try that.

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  9. Oysters are very oriental. I'd have to ask Khan Noonien Singh before I decided to give them a try. Wait a second, Khans dead - so now I have to figure our time travel by gum. All this work over a piece of food!!!

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    1. You could just make up your own mind to try them Spacerguy. They are well worth it.

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  10. I tried them as a kid, and I hated them too. They left such a bad taste, I've never had the bravery to try them again.

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    1. Next time you are on the island, try them steamed Liz. I didn't like them raw as a kid. As an adult, I loved them steamed and now like them raw too.

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  11. I tried raw oysters once as a girl. Couldn't stand the texture and never had any inclination to try them again. Smoked oysters, though, which my mother loved, were much better.

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    1. Smoked oysters are good Helen, but I guess raw oysters are and acquired taste. Until I had tried them steamed I wouldn't touch them. Now I love them any which way.

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  12. Have never had and will never have. allergic to anything from the ocean, but even if I weren't that's one item I could not down. Amazes me that people do. But I have no taste what so ever. :)

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    1. I wonder why you are allergic to anything from the ocean Yolanda. What a shame, seafood is such a wonderful food.

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  13. I love them and can easily (and often do) eat an entire can of smoked oysters as a snack. I love the fresh ones too but years ago I heard of a girl who died the night before her wedding from eating a bad oyster. It was a true story and it frightened me.

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    1. My father got pretty sick from a bad oyster once, but I don't think they often cause death Pinky. Very unusual. Not had oysters in any form for a long while, boo hoo.

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  14. I like oysters cooked and in things, but I am not a fan of them by themselves. They taste of salty water and have a texture I cannot deal with :).
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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    1. A gumbo is wonderful with oysters in it Natasha. I like them any which way.

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  15. My gramps used to love them raw. I never had one.

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    1. I have a feeling they shouldn't be on your menu Ivy. Can you eat shellfish?

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    2. You are right. Nothing raw, no lox or anything raw. Really, just as close to whole foods as possible. Even my bakes now are written very, very cleanly.

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    3. I sympathise with your problems Ivy. It must be so frustrating and scary for you.

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