Spring Time Oysters

I have started implementing some of my menu planning ideas from my Magazine Recipe Book, and it has been a great week of eating in the Humble Home. After letting the salmon sausages cure for a bit in the fridge, we were excited to test them out, so we fried them up and served them over a fresh salad. I’m not going to lie- they were extremely good! I love finding new ways to bring more fish and protein into our diet, so I think we’ll be seeing more of these little beauties. Kyle had picked up some oysters at the often mentioned Anthony's Seafood, and I had flagged a recipe idea in Bon Appétit for an Irish style broiled oysters, and we had ourselves a little seafood supper. I altered the original oyster recipe to what we had on hand, and my only disappointment with the end result was that they ran out too fast! The robust nature of the blue cheese complimented the briny nature of the oysters, and the breadcrumbs brought the perfect amount of crunch and texture. The oysters were a perfect light first course, and would be great for a cocktail party, just make sure you have enough on hand!

Another great tip I had picked up while doing my magazine pillage was out of Cook’s Illustrated for making fresh breadcrumbs without a food processor: Freeze whatever bread you want to use until hard. Place a box grater over a large plastic bowl or plate (to ensure it won’t break under force- you can also use a kitchen towel to anchor the plate/bowl) and grate desired amount of breadcrumbs needed. It’s a really easy way to have the amount of fresh breadcrumbs that you need for your recipe (I’m big on using fresh as opposed to the store bought variety whenever possible), and not have to worry about using up or storing any leftover crumbs. The bread has a long life in the freezer, so you waste less in the long run, and don’t have to pull out a big piece of machinery every time you need breadcrumbs.

A few of my oyster got a little extra crispy under the broiler, but the breadcrumbs act as a great shield from the heat of the broiler, so the oyster remained juicy and fresh. If you’re not a blue cheese fan, smoked Gouda or fresh curls of parmesan would be a great substitution. I picked up the technique of preheating the oven before broiling from working in restaurant kitchens, and I think it helps to even the overall temperature of the final product, so that the oyster is just warmed and all the flavors come together without having to spend too much time under the broiler.

Broiled Oysters on the Half with Garlic Breadcrumbs & Blue Cheese

(modified from Bon Appétit’s Broiled Oysters w/ Garlic Breadcrumbs, March 2010)

-1 Dozen fresh oysters, shucked & in ½ shell w/ luquor
- ¾ Cup fresh breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat bread)

- 2 Good sized garlic cloves, minced finely

- 2 Tblspns flat leaf parsley, minced

- 2-3 Tblspns salted butter

- 1(ish) Tblspn dry white wine (Sauv Blanc)

- Sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 12 small slices of good blue cheese (Danish or Roquefort work well), cut to fit oysters

- Lemon wedges

Place oven rack about 3-4 inches from broiler and preheat oven to 450. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat and sauté minced garlic until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add in wine & cook another minute. Add in breadcrumbs, stirring to combine & crisp crumbs up, about 4-5 minutes. Add in parsley and season with salt & pepper to taste and remove from heat. Arrange oysters on a baking sheet and distribute breadcrumb mixture over oysters evenly. Top with a small slice of blue cheese. Once the oven has come to temp, switch off and heat the broiler to low. Place oysters under the broiler until cheese has had a chance to melt and breadcrumbs turn golden, approximately 3-5 minutes, depending on the intensity of your broiler. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon.