Oyster Foch Recipes

CREATIVE OYSTER LOAF

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan with deep sides begin heating oil. Season cornmeal with Creole spice. Dredge oysters in cornmeal mixture and add to hot oil, without crowding. Cook about 1 1/2 minutes, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess grease on paper towels. Slice bread in half horizontally across the middle. Open up loaf and spread a generous layer of tartar sauce on bottom half. Spread lettuce over and top with perfectly-cooked oysters. Replace bread top and eat immediately.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

TUSCAN WOOD-GRILLED OYSTERS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA-TOMATO-BASIL MIGNONETTE

Steps:

• Put the pancetta in a cast-iron skillet and cook over medium-high heat until crisp and the fat is rendered. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
• While the pancetta cooks, combine the vinegar, shallots, peppercorns, basil, tomatoes and season with salt.
• Prepare the charcoal grill using a chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes. When the coals are red hot and begin to turn grey, add the soaked wood chips evenly over the top of the coals.
• Grip each oyster, flat-side up, in a folded kitchen towel. Find the small opening between the shells near the hinge and pry it open with an oyster knife. Try not to spill the delicious juices, known as the oyster liqueur, in the bottom shell. Cut the oyster meat loose from the top shell, and then loosen the oyster from the bottom shell by running the oyster knife carefully underneath the body. Discard the top, flatter shell, keeping the oyster and juices in the bottom, deeper shell.
• Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the oysters over direct high heat until the juices start to bubble and the edges of the oyster curl, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups kosher salt evenly over the bottom of a large platter. Carefully nestle the cooked oysters in the salt and top each oyster with some of the mignonette, a few cubes of pancetta and some parsley leaves. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the bread crumbs and sauté until they are just a tiny bit golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach, parsley, shallot and garlic. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in a small pinch of salt.
• Finely grate 1/2 teaspoon zest from the lemon and add it to the bread crumb mixture. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out 1 tablespoon of the juice; mix into the pan.
• Heat the broiler to high. Fill a baking pan (or two) with a 1/2-inch layer of salt or line the pan with crumbled up foil (to steady the oysters so the juices don't spill). Lay the oysters on top of the salt or foil. Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of the sauce mixture on top of the oysters. Broil until just golden, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve hot, with a squeeze of lemon on top, if you like.