Ingredients
Oyster
Left to right: Virginia, gigamoto, raspberry point, beausoleil
Other Names: European oyster: Auster (German); huître plat (French); istiridye (Turkish); kaki (Japanese); ostra (Spanish); ostra plana (Portuguese); strídia (Greek). Pacific oyster: Huître creuse (French); Japanese oyster; ostíon del Pacifico (Spanish); ostrica pacifica (Italian); Pazifische felsenauster (German). American oyster: Amerikanische auster (German); blue point oyster; crease de Virginia, hure (French); ostrica della Virginia (Italian). Ostreidae.
General Description: Oysters are saltwater bivalve mollusks. Until early historic times, a great barrier reef made of European flat oysters ran from Scandinavia to Greece. Because oysters filter so much seawater, they are high in minerals. The risk in eating wild oysters is diminishing thanks to strict guidelines and monitoring of oyster beds.
The thin, flat European oyster (Ostrea edulis), cultivated in western Europe, is prized as the Belon. Only oysters grown in Brittany’s Belon River may by French law be termed Belons. American entrepreneurs now farm this tasty though expensive and highly perishable oyster in Maine. They are primarily served raw on the half shell. The native American or Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) thrives from New Brunswick to the Gulf of Mexico and includes bluepoints from Long Island, Canadian Malpeques, and Wellfleets from Cape Cod. Beginning in 1842, express wagons carried oysters west to be served at feasts such as Abe Lincoln’s famous oyster parties. The related Portuguese oyster (C. angulata), native to the Iberian peninsula, now thrives in France.
Japanese, or Pacific, oysters (C. gigas), found along the Pacific Coast, grow up to 1 foot long. They have deeply sculptured pearly shells with pure, clean flavor. Small Royal Miyagis have a deep cup, highly sculptured fluted shells, and smooth, slightly fruity flesh. Westcotts, from Washington, have meaty texture and creamy flavor. Yaquina Bays are premium oysters from Newport, Oregon, with deep cups holding sweet, briny meat in abundant liquor. Olympia oysters (O. lurida), native to the West Coast and found in Washington’s Puget Sound, measure only about 1 1/2 inches across. They are highly prized for their robust flavor, firm texture, and faintly metallic aftertaste. Kumamotos (C. sikamea) and the similar gigamotos are small oysters with a deep cup and excellent, briny, mineral-laden flavor.
Locale and Season: Oysters are at their best in the winter, with the main season lasting from late September to May. Oysters spawn in summer months; though edible, they tend to be flabby and insipid, the reason they are traditionally only eaten in months with names containing an R. Farm- raised oysters can be eaten year-round. The European oyster ranges from Norway to Morocco and is farmed and harvested. The Japanese oyster is found along the American Pacific coast and in Japan. Yields and quality are highest and prices lowest in winter.
Characteristic: American oysters have a moderately deep, elongated, spoon-shaped rough-textured shell that is grayish white to grayish brown. The tender meat is salty with meaty texture. European oysters have flat shells that vary from white to brown; the meats are rounded and creamy to light brown. Their meat has a distinct salty edge and a metallic flavor. Pacific oysters have deeply cupped elongated shells that are curly, thick, and silvery gray to gold. The meat is creamy white with hints of pink, green, or black and may have a dark fringe. They are mild and sweet.
How to Choose: Choose oysters without broken shells that are tightly closed. Tap on the shell. If it closes, the animal is alive. A dead oyster will have an unpleasant sulfur smell. Shucked oysters should be smooth and plump and covered in clear, grayish liquid with a briny scent.
Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that can cause severe illness or death in some people, especially those with compromised immune systems, who eat raw oysters or clams. It is found naturally in coastal waters and is not a result of pollution. It does not affect the appearance, taste, or odor of oysters (or clams). It is most often found in oysters (and clams) harvested from warm waters in April though October, when bacteria counts are higher. Cold-water oysters are not affected, and cooking destroys the bacteria.
Storage: Store shucked oysters cup-side down to retain their liquor 2 to 3 days refrigerated, covered with seaweed or a damp towel. Freshly shucked oysters covered by their own liquor will keep for up to 1 week. European oysters don’t last long because of their fragile shells.
Preparation:
1. Scrub whole oysters under cold running water before
opening them.
2. To shuck, use an oyster knife, table knife, or church key can opener. (Do NOT use a sharp kitchen knife.) Holding the oyster in a thick kitchen towel or special oyster glove, turn it so the deep cup is down.
3. Find the point where the two shells hinge together.
Just off to one side will be a small opening. Wiggle the implement at an angle into the opening to “pop” the shells apart.
4. Slide the implement flat across the underside of the
top shell to release the meat without tearing it, and repeat on the bottom shell, cutting as close to the shell as possible.
5. Rinse briefly under cold water to get rid of any grit or shell pieces.
6. Serve on the half shell, or stuff and bake in the shell;
pan-fry, grill, sauté, steam, use for chowder, or bread and deep-fry shucked oysters.
Suggested Recipe: Dijon Deviled Oysters (serves 4): Combine 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard with 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 eggs, and cayenne pepper to taste. Dip 24 fresh shucked oysters first in this mixture and then in soft, fresh bread crumbs. Pan-fry or deep-fry until browned and serve with lemon or a piquant sauce.
Flavor Affinities: Bay leaf, black pepper, butter, cream, Dijon mustard, fennel, hot red pepper, lemon, Pernod, sesame, shallot, soy sauce, spinach, thyme, white wine.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
