Grilled Oysters With Harissa Parmesan Butter Recipes

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH LEMON DILL BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat a charcoal or gas grill. If using charcoal, make sure you have a full layer of hot coals on the grate.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, garlic, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Place the oysters (oyster-side up!) on a platter. With two small spoons, place a small dollop (about 1 teaspoon) of the herbed butter on each oyster. Place lightly crinkled sheets of aluminum foil loosely on the grill grates. Place the oysters on the foil, making sure they're level so the butter doesn't spill out. (The foil keeps the oyster shells from tipping over.) Cover the grill with the lid, making sure the vents are open, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter comes to a simmer and the oysters are just heated through. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve hot.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH LEMONY GARLIC-HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Ignite a full chimney of coals and spread out under one side of the grill once they are fully covered in gray ash, or heat half the burners of a gas grill to high. Cover and let the grill heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut off a sheet of aluminum foil twice the length of a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Crumple it up so that it fits into the baking sheet. The crumpled foil should be able to support the cupped side of the oysters without allowing them to tip over.
• Prepare the garlic-herb butter: In a food processor, combine the butter, parsley, basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Process until the herbs are finely chopped and there are no large chunks of butter remaining, about 30 seconds total, stopping to scrape down the sides of the processor with a rubber spatula a few times as needed. Transfer the mixture to a small, oven-safe saucepan.
• Using tongs, arrange the oysters over the hot side of the grill, placing them with the cupped sides down, doing your best to set them in the grates so that oyster juices don't pour out of the cups as they open. Cover and cook, checking on them every minute or so, and transferring any oysters that have begun to gape open to the foil-lined baking sheet. After a total of 4 minutes, transfer any remaining oysters to the foil whether they have opened or not. Place the saucepan on the cooler side of the grill.
• As soon as the oysters are cool enough to handle, pry off the top shells with a butter knife or oyster knife, severing through the muscle that holds the oyster to the shell and retaining as much juice in the shell as possible. For oysters that aren't already gaping open, the easiest way to pry off the lids is by inserting the tip of the knife into the joint and firmly twisting it until the joint releases.
• Spoon a generous teaspoon of the garlic-herb butter (which should be fully melted by now) into each oyster, then return the oysters directly onto the grates on the hot side of the grill. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce mixture is bubbling hot, about 1 minute. Return the oysters to the foil-lined baking sheet and serve immediately.

BARBECUED OYSTERS WITH GARLIC, PAPRIKA & PARMESAN BUTTER

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the butter until it's completely soft, then add the remaining ingredients. Lay a piece of cling film out on a clean work surface. Spoon the butter into the centre, then roll up tightly into a sausage shape. Keep in the fridge until ready to use. Will keep for a week in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
• Light the barbecue and let it burn until the coals are glowing whitehot. Now shuck your oysters. Fold a tea towel into a strip and lie it on a firmly positioned chopping board (held in place underneath by some damp kitchen towel). Put the oysters on the towel, curved-side down, and wrap the tea towel over to sandwich it. Use a strong knife, preferably a shucking knife, to firmly pierce the hinge of the oyster, then turn it to open the oyster until you hear it pop. Work the knife around the edge of the shell, being careful not to cut into the oyster, until you can remove the lid. Disconnect the oyster from its shell on the bottom so it slides out easily.
• Slice a round of the butter on top of each oyster and put on the barbecue, grilling for 6 mins or until bubbling. Serve with some chunks of bread to mop up the juices, if you like.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH HOT-SAUCE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine butter, hot sauce, garlic, lemon zest and anchovy, and pulse until there are no streaks of hot sauce and the butter is a uniform shade of pale pink. (If you don't have a food processor, leave the butter out until it's very soft, then beat the ingredients together with a spoon.) Scrape the mixture into a small bowl, and set aside in the fridge.
• Put the oysters in a large bowl in the sink, and scrub off any sand or grit. Rinse well, drain and refrigerate until you're ready to shuck. To shuck: Grip an oyster with a folded dishtowel so the shell is cupped side down, hinge side facing toward you. Push the tip of the oyster knife into the hinge, and twist so it cracks open. Make sure the knife is clean of shell and grit, then use it to release the top shell, and slide it under the oyster meat to release it from the bottom shell. Repeat with remaining oysters, discarding any that are already open or that have a bad smell.
• Build a fire in your charcoal grill, or set a gas grill to high. Gently crumple a sheet of aluminum foil so its grooves can support the open oysters and keep them from spilling, and set it on the grate. Place 12 oysters on the foil, and top each with approximately ½ teaspoon of butter; use more for especially large oysters, but less for small ones. The idea is to cover the oyster with butter, but not to overfill the shell. Cover the grill, and cook until the butter and oyster juices are bubbling but the oyster is still plump, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Use tongs to transfer hot oysters to a platter lined with another piece of foil that will keep the shells upright, and serve immediately with a bottle of hot sauce and lemon wedges at the table. Repeat with remaining oysters.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH BUTTERY SOY-SAKE GLAZE

Steps:

• Combine the sake, sugar and shoyu in a small saucepan along with the smashed garlic and ginger. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced into a syrupy glaze with large, dark bubbles, about 30 minutes. Using a spoon or strainer, remove and discard garlic and ginger. You should have about 1/2 cup glaze. Stir in the butter.
• After the sauce is prepared (or as it reduces), ignite a full chimney of coals and spread out under one side of the grill once they are fully covered in gray ash, or heat half the burners of a gas grill to high. Cover and let the grill heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut off a sheet of aluminum foil twice the length of a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Crumple it up so that it fits into the baking sheet. The crumpled foil should be able to support the cupped side of the oysters without allowing them to tip over.
• Using tongs, arrange the oysters over the hot side of the grill, placing them with the cupped sides down, doing your best to set them in the grates so that oyster juices don't pour out of the cups as they open. Cover and cook, checking on them every minute or so, and transferring any oysters that have begun to gape open to the foil-lined baking sheet. After a total of 4 minutes, transfer any remaining oysters to the foil whether they have opened or not. Place the saucepan on the cooler side of the grill.
• As soon as the oysters are cool enough to handle, pry off the top shells with a butter knife or oyster knife, severing through the muscle that holds the oyster to the shell and retaining as much juice in the shell as possible. For oysters that aren't already gaping open, the easiest way to pry off the lids is by inserting the tip of the knife into the joint and firmly twisting it until the joint releases.
• Spoon a generous teaspoon of the glaze into each oyster, then return the oysters directly onto the grates on the hot side of the grill. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce mixture is bubbling hot, about 1 minute.
• Return the oysters to the foil-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with scallions, and serve immediately.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH HARISSA-PARMESAN BUTTER

Steps:

• Ignite a full chimney of coals and spread out under one side of the grill once they are fully covered in gray ash, or heat half the burners of a gas grill to high. Cover and let the grill heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut off a sheet of aluminum foil twice the length of a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Crumple it up so that it fits into the baking sheet. The crumpled foil should be able to support the cupped side of the oysters without allowing them to tip over.
• Prepare the harissa-Parmesan butter: Combine the butter, harissa, Parmesan and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until there are no large chunks of butter remaining, about 30 seconds total, stopping to scrape down the sides of the processor with a rubber spatula a few times as needed. Transfer the mixture to a small, oven-safe saucepan.
• Using tongs, arrange the oysters over the hot side of the grill, placing them with the cupped sides down, doing your best to set them in the grates so that oyster juices don't pour out of the cups as they open. Cover and cook, checking on them every minute or so, and transferring any oysters that have begun to gape open to the foil-lined baking sheet. After a total of 4 minutes, transfer any remaining oysters to the foil whether they have opened or not. Place the saucepan on the cooler side of the grill.
• As soon as the oysters are cool enough to handle, pry off the top shells with a butter knife or oyster knife, severing through the muscle that holds the oyster to the shell and retaining as much juice in the shell as possible. For oysters that aren't already gaping open, the easiest way to pry off the lids is by inserting the tip of the knife into the joint and firmly twisting it until the joint releases.
• Spoon a generous teaspoon of the harissa-Parmesan butter (which should be fully melted by now) into each oyster, then return the oysters directly onto the grates on the hot side of the grill. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce mixture is bubbling hot, about 1 minute. Return the oysters to the foil-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve immediately.