Low Country Steamed Carolina Cup Oysters With Melted Butter Food

ROASTED OYSTERS WITH WARM BUTTER MIGNONETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir shallot, vinegar, and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl; set aside. Line a plate with salt (this will help hold the oysters in place without tipping out their juices) and set aside.
• Rinse oysters, then arrange flat side up on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until oysters crack open, 4-6 minutes. (They won't open completely like a cooked clam; the top shell will separate from the bottom with about a 1/4" opening at the rounded end.) Some may open before others-remove from oven as soon as they open. Discard any oysters that don't open after 7 minutes.
• To finish opening oysters: Fold a dish towel several times and hold oyster using towel. Slide a butter knife into opening all the way to the hinge. Turn butter knife perpendicular so top shell pops all the way open. Pull off top shell with your hand, being careful not to tip bottom shell and lose any liquid (this should all happen very easily without much force). Gently slide knife under oyster in bottom shell to release the muscle, then transfer to plate with salt.
• Stir butter into reserved vinegar mixture. Spoon over oysters.

LOW COUNTRY STEAMED CAROLINA CUP OYSTERS WITH MELTED BUTTER

Steps:

• Build a hot fire with wood chips. Stack stones or bricks around fire so that the sheet metal sits securely on top.
• Once metal is very hot, place oysters on top, and cover completely with wet burlap. Steam until shells begin to open, checking frequently, 12 to 18 minutes.
• Shovel oysters onto a serving platter, discarding any that do not open, and serve immediately with melted butter, cocktail sauce, and lemon wedges.

LOW COUNTRY STUFFED QUAIL WITH OYSTER-LEEK RAGOUT AND HOMINY GRITS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In medium sauce pan, render bacon over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon, leaving rendered drippings in pan. Set bacon aside. In same pan as bacon, sweat onions and celery together until translucent. In a medium bowl, combine sweated onions, celery and reserved bacon with cornbread, pecans and melted butter. Pour enough chicken stock to bind all ingredients so that stuffing can be formed into balls and hold their shape. Stuff each quail with stuffing (approximately 1 1/2 tablespoon per quail). Season each quail with salt and pepper. Sear quail, breast side down, in a saute pan until golden. Turn quail and place in the oven. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until desired doneness is achieved.
• Place 2 Hominy Cakes on each plate. Top with 2 quail. Surround with Oyster and Leek Ragout.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat, bring the water, cream, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper to a boil. Stir in the grits and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until the grits are tender. If the grits need more liquid, whisk in some of the milk. Fold in the cheese and set aside in a warm place to be used later in making hominy cakes.
• Blanch Hominy in salted water until tender - omit this step if using canned hominy. Drain. Fold hominy into reserved cooked grits. With a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, scoop mixture onto a sheet pan. Approximately 12 scoops. Cool. Form hominy cakes into cylindrical cakes. Season flour with salt and pepper in 1 bowl. Mix eggs with water in second bowl and season bread crumbs with salt and pepper in third bowl.
• Dredge cakes in flour, then egg wash and finally panko (Japanese bread crumbs). Pan fry hominy grit cakes until golden brown. Place in oven to finish heating through, about 5 minutes.
• In medium saucepan over low heat, sweat shallots, garlic and leeks in butter for 3 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add oyster liquor and heavy cream to mixture; reduce by half. Adjust seasoning. Add oysters and poach until plump and just cooked through.