First up: Lobster. I chopped up this little guy while he was still twitching. I even removed his intestinal track and stomach (the pictures were a little to graphic for blog posting.)
Then into the pot for him! Sauteed with shell on a mixture of ginger, soy, cilantro and fermented bean paste.
All the ingredients for our Oysters spread out, ready to go. I need these little plastic cups in my own kitchen.
A good start to any recipe!
Alcohol likes to catch on fire. Gratefully, we meant to do this. Oysters Rockefeller calls for a little flambe action. Add a little Pernod (licorice flavored liqueur) and let the gas flames get a hold of it.
Topping the oysters before a quick blast under the broiler. I snuck a few raw ones.
The final result: Fresh oysters on the half shell "five ways" (rockefeller, bienville, oscar, casino and horseradish cream with salmon caviar.) In my opinion, nothing beats a raw oyster, but adding butter and bacon sure does get close.
And a few of our other creations: mussels thermidor over linguini, panko crusted clams with spicy remoulade and a little lobster cameo in the back. We also made a steamed clam dish that was my favorite. I ate them too fast for a picture. Favorite recipes below.
Oysters Bienville
Recipe by Chris Svalsen
30 oysters
1/2 cup diced Applewood smoked bacon
1/4 cup minced celery
1/4 minced onion
1/4 green bell peppers
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
Saute bacon. Add celery, onion and green peppers. When light brown add garlic, cream, salt and pepper. Cook until cream reduces to half, and add Parmigiano Reggiano. Place heaping mound on each oyster and broil for about 5 minutes or until slightly browned.
Clams Oreganatta
Recipe by Chris Svalesen
12 clams
1 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
butter
Wash clams under cold water, being careful to not break their shell. Add red pepper and oregano to a dry pan over medium heat, and toast for about 2 minutes to release more of the flavor. Add all other ingredients, and cook on high until the shells open, 2-3 minutes. Serve in bowl with broth with a side of melted butter for dripping, dribbling, drizzling.
