Oyster recipes from local restaurants

LOCAL Life spoke to Lee Lucier of Fish Seafood and Raw Bar for some tried and true oyster toppings recipes.

“Instead of Rockefeller as the only baked oyster we think of, use this local bacon and Vidalia onion version. The mignonette sauce and the oyster-spiced tomato, with a Bloody Mary flair, is a great sauce or topping for raw oysters,” he said.
Or try Lucier’s great oyster soup, “a take on the classic oyster bisque with Rockefeller-type flavor from the fennel, a crowd pleaser on a cool, fall night.”

 

Fish Seafood and Raw Bar

RAW OYSTERS WITH MIGNONETTE SAUCE

Ingredients [yields two dozen oysters]
2 dozen oysters of choice
1 cup white wine
1 tbsp. sherry
2 shallots, diced small
3 anchovies, rinsed and chopped
1 tsp. parsley
Juice of 1 lemon

Method: In saucepan over medium heat, add white wine and shallots, reducing for five to eight minutes, to half of original volume. Next add sherry, parsley and lemon juice. Cook for additional three to four minutes. Remove from heat and add anchovies. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, then stir again before topping oysters. Serve immediately.

 

Fish Seafood and Raw Bar

RAW OYSTER SPICED TOMATO TOPPING

Ingredients [yields for 20-25 oysters]
1 cup fresh tomato juice
1 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
½ tsp. garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Sriracha sauce

Method: In a bowl blend all ingredients, mixing well. Pour a quarter ounce of juice into the shell over the raw oyster. Serve and enjoy.

 

Fish Seafood and Raw Bar

FENNEL OYSTER BISQUE

Ingredients [yields 1 1/2 gallons]
36 oysters, shucked and rinsed
1 large onion
1 medium carrot
1 medium fennel bulb
¼ cup celery, minced
2 cups sherry
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 qt. heavy cream
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 qt. chicken stock
1 tbsp. basil, minced
2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
Salt and pepper to taste

Method: Rough chop, then mince carrots and onion in food processor. Over medium high heat in a sauté pan, cook vegetables and garlic with butter until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to low; then add flour mixture. Stir until thickened (blond roux). Raise heat to high; deglaze pan with sherry; add chicken stock, celery, oysters (oyster juice included if available) and chopped fennel bulb. Bring to a simmer, cooking for 10 minutes. Reduce to low heat, stirring frequently until flavors are absorbed. Add cream by whisking into pan. Cook to reduce volume by a quarter or until soup reaches desired thickness. Fold in spinach and basil. Serve. Season to personal taste with salt and pepper.

 

Fish Seafood and Raw Bar

BAKED OYSTER PORK & BACON

Ingredients [yields topping for 24-30 oysters]
1 large yellow Vidalia onion
12 strips bacon raw and sliced thin, 1/8 inch width
1 cup pulled pork
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tbsp. parsley, minced
1 tbsp. thyme, minced
2 cups parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. white pepper

Method: In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add bacon and begin to render, stirring throughout the process. Once bacon has begun to render, add onions and garlic, and continue to cook until onions have caramelized (10-12 minutes). Once onions have cooked, reduce heat to medium low, and add pepper, pork, thyme and parsley; stir for one to two minutes, then remove from heat and stir in cheese. Allow mixture to cool; then top oysters and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Serve.

 

Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana

OYSTERS WITH PROSECCO MIGNONETTE

Ingredients [serves 4]
2 dozen live oysters, shucked and on the half shell
2 cups Prosecco, or other sparkling wine
2 tbsp. shallots or red onion, minced
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of salt and white pepper, to taste

Method: In a small mixing bowl, combine the Prosecco, shallots, vinegar and sugar. Mix well and season with salt and white pepper. Reserve in refrigerator. Shuck the oysters and arrange on a serving platter covered with crushed ice or rock salt. Spoon the reserved sauce on top of each oyster and serve immediately.

 

Charlie’s L’etoile Verte

PAN ROAST BLUFFTON OYSTER STEW

Ingredients
1 qt. heavy whipping cream
½ pint of freshly shucked Bluffton oysters
5 tbsp. chili sauce
Following seasonings to taste:
Paprika, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Cayenne, Black pepper, Celery seed, Tobacco

Method: In a medium size saucepan combine the whipping cream, chili sauce and seasonings. Bring to rapid boil over medium to high heat, stirring frequently. The cream blend should be a nice salmon pink color when all the ingredients come together over the heat. Lastly, drop in the oysters and cook for one minute. Divide and serve in large bowls with French baguette for dredging.

 

Alexander’s

OYSTERS ALEXANDER

Ingredients [serves 4]
12 fresh oysters, shucked
6 oz. smoked bacon, cooked and chopped
6 oz. jumbo lump crab meat
6 oz. Harlech horseradish cheddar cheese
2 lemons, sliced and grilled
1 tbsp. fresh chives, minced
1 cup rock salt

Method: Take the oysters and rinse the dirt off the exterior with cold water. Using a protective glove and a shucking knife, gently shuck the oysters. The next step is the assembly. For each oyster, add ½ oz of crab meat. The next layer is ½ oz of smoked bacon. The last layer is the horseradish cheddar cheese. For this, shave off a thin layer of the cheese and place on top of the oyster.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the oysters on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook the oysters for 8 minutes or until bubbly and caramelized on top. Carefully remove from the oven. Use the rock salt as a bed to keep the oysters in place and arrange on your desired platter. Garnish with slices of grilled lemon and chives.

 

Old Oyster Factory

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

Ingredients [serves 6]
2 cups of shucked oysters
10 oz. blanched spinach leaves
2 oz. butter
½ tsp. salt
2 cups Béarnaise sauce
2 tbsp. chopped shallots
Ground white pepper
Touch of white wine

Method: Poach the oysters in their own juice and white wine. Sauté shallots and spinach in butter season to taste. Put a small amount of spinach in the oyster shell. Top with the oysters one on each shell. Coat with Béarnaise and brown in hot oven.

Béarnaise Sauce
10 oz. butter
2 tsp. chopped shallots
1 tsp. cracked peppercorn
¼ cup tarragon vinegar
1 ½ tbsp. chopped tarragon
4 egg yolks
1 ½ tsp. chopped parsley
Ground white pepper

Method: Clarify the butter and keep warm. Place the shallots, peppercorn, vinegar and half of the chopped tarragon in a saucepan. Reduce by three quarters and cool. Add the egg yolk with 2 tsp. of water; transfer to a stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over boiling water but do not allow the bowl to touch the water as it would overcook the egg yolk. Slow, progressive heating is best when making Béarnaise. Remove from heat. Whisk in the warm clarified butter. Add remaining chopped tarragon and parsley.

 

Captain Woody’s

JALAPENO, BACON & CHEDDAR BAKED OYSTERS

Ingredients
6 fresh oysters
Butter, fresh garlic, fresh parsley,
fresh jalapenos, Romano cheese,
salt & pepper, red pepper flakes
Monterey jack cheese
Bacon

Method: Take 6 freshly shucked oysters and rinse. Add to the grill at a high temperature. Top with butter, fresh garlic, fresh parsley, Romano cheese, salt and pepper and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Grill until butter melts (around 3 minutes). Remove from the grill. Add fresh jalapenos, monterey jack cheese and crispy bacon. Finish in the oven at 350 degrees for 3 minutes.

 

The Pearl Kitchen and Bar

RAW OYSTERS + SWEETY DROP MIGNONETTE

Ingredients
2 cups cucumber, slightly peeled and Brunoise dice
1 cup Sweety drops, halved
½ cup shallots, Brunoise
3 cups rice wine vinegar
1 ½ cups sugar
1 knob ginger, grated finely
2 tbsp. minced chives (optional)
Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Method: Mix all ingredients together, adjust with sugar to balance the vinegar to sweetness level.