Fried Oyster With Asian Pear Salad Food

FRIED OYSTER SALAD WITH PERNOD BUTTERMILK DRESSING

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the egg, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, green onions, 1/4 cup of the cheese, buttermilk, and Pernod. Pulse until smooth. Season the mixture with the Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and mix until the mixture is thick. Reseason if necessary. Refrigerate the dressing until well chilled, about 1 hour.
• Season the oysters with Essence. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and cornmeal together. Season the flour with Essence. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil.
• Dredge the oysters in the seasoned flour, coating each side completely. Shake off the excess flour and carefully lay in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
• Remove the oysters from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the oysters with Essence. Set aside and keep warm.
• Toss the greens with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Mound the greens in the center of each plate and arrange the oysters around the greens. Sprinkle the top of each salad with the remaining cheese.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.

CRISPY FRIED OYSTERS WITH WASABI AIOLI AND ASIAN PEAR AND ENDIVE SALAD

Steps:

• Add the egg yolks and white wine vinegar to a food processor. With the blade running, gradually add the canola oil, little by little, until the mixture is emulsified. Season with kosher salt. If the aioli is too thick, you can thin it out with a little water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Spoon the aioli into a bowl and set aside. Combine the wasabi powder and a little water in a small bowl. Add to the aioli and stir to combine. Season with kosher salt. Transfer to a pastry bag and set aside.
• To another food processor bowl, add the parsley and pulse to combine. Add the coarse sea salt and process until the parsley is fully incorporated with the salt.
• Toss the endives and pear in a small bowl and set aside.
• Set up a deep-fryer with canola oil and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a plate with a paper towel.
• Combine the panko and crushed wasabi peas together in a bowl. Add the flour to a second bowl and whole eggs to a third; whisk the eggs with a bit of water. Dredge the oysters in the flour first, then egg, and finally the panko-wasabi mixture. Fry the oysters until crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel and season immediately with kosher salt.
• To plate, add 3 mounds of parsley salt on the bottom of a rectangular plate. Nestle 3 shells into each salt mound. Pipe 1 dollop of wasabi aioli into each shell. Add a small bit of the endive and pear salad. Top each with a fried oyster. Add 1 more dollop of wasabi aioli. Garnish with crushed wasabi peas.

FRIED OYSTER SALAD WITH LEMON DRESSING

Steps:

• In a deep skillet, heat 1/4 inch of the vegetable oil until very hot.
• While oil is heating, whisk the egg whites in a pie plate and set aside. In another pie plate, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper.
• When oil is ready, dip each oyster into egg whites, drain and then roll in flour mixture. Be sure all sides of oysters are coated with flour. Shake oysters lightly to remove excess flour and carefully arrange oysters in hot oil.
• When arranging oysters in pan, begin at outer edge and lay oysters in a ring around outside of pan. Place a few oysters in center. Do not crowd pan. When you finish laying out oysters, first ones will be ready to turn. Turn all oysters and cook just until they turn golden-brown, for about 2 minutes total. Remove oysters from oil, drain on paper towels and keep warm. Continue with remaining oysters, if needed; discard any remaining egg whites and flour mixture.
• Divide the arugula among serving plates. Divide fried oysters between portions of arugula, drizzle each plate with some of the Lemon Dressing and serve immediately with a lemon wedge on the side.
• Lemon Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, Meyer lemon juice, grated Parmesan and minced garlic. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. May be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before using.