Oyster Cracker Party Mix Food

OYSTER SOUP

Steps:

• In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream and oyster liquor from the oysters to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the celery and a pinch of the salt and sweat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and continue cooking until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery seed, hot pepper sauce, and oysters and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters start to curl.
• Transfer the oysters to the carafe of a blender and add enough of the cream just to cover.*
• Puree until the mixture is smooth. Return the remaining cream to medium heat, add the pureed mixture, and cook until heated through.
• Just before serving, add the lemon juice, chopped herbs, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

Steps:

• For the oysters: Melt butter in a skillet. Saute the garlic for 2 minutes to infuse the butter. Place the bread crumbs in a mixing bowl and add half the garlic butter, set aside. To the remaining garlic butter in the skillet, add shallots and spinach, cook for 3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Deglaze the pan with Pernod. Season with salt and pepper, add a dash of red pepper sauce. Allow the mixture to cook down for a few minutes. Finish off the bread crumbs by mixing in olive oil, Parmesan and chervil, season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a spoonful of the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle a baking pan amply with rock salt. Arrange the oysters in the salt to steady them. Bake in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Serve with lemon wedges and red pepper sauce.
• For the sauce: In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour before serving with oysters. Yield: 3/4 cup

EMERIL'S GULFCOAST FISHHOUSE RESTAURANT BAKED OYSTERS

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the butter with the garlic, shallots, and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Stir to blend thoroughly, and then transfer to the refrigerator while you prepare the oysters.
• Set the oven to the broil setting or preheated to 500 degrees F. Position the top oven rack in the upper third of the oven.
• Season the oysters with salt and pepper. Divide the oysters evenly between 6 individual gratin dishes just large enough to hold the oysters in 1 layer. Shallow gratin dishes approximately 4 by 6 by 1-inch that have a volume capacity of about 8 ounces work well. Sprinkle the crabmeat evenly over the oysters in the ramekins. Using a small spoon, place dabs of the compound butter over the tops of the dishes, dividing the entire amount of butter evenly among the 6 dishes. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, grated cheese and olive oil. Sprinkle evenly over the oysters and transfer the gratin dishes to a large baking sheet and place in the oven. Broil until the crumbs are golden brown and the oysters are just cooked through and curled around the edges.
• While the oysters are baking, in a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and the olive oil. Stir until thoroughly combined.
• Remove the oysters from the oven and sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the tops of the oysters in the dishes. Return to the oven and bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the oysters are just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes longer.
• Remove the oysters from the oven, garnish with the remaining Parmesan and parsley, and serve immediately, with lemon wedges for guests to use according to taste.

OYSTER DRESSING

Steps:

• The day before making the stuffing, bake the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk to combine well. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs and creamed corn, whisking to combine thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and stir to combine. If the batter will not pour, add more buttermilk.
• Swirl the vegetable oil in the hot cast-iron skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back upon the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the skillet, then crumble 6 cups of the cornbread and spread out on a baking sheet. Let the cornbread dry out at room temperature, uncovered, about 24 hours.
• Make the stuffing: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and celery are semitranslucent, about 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat; add the crumbled cornbread, oyster crackers, thyme and sage and stir well. Next, add the oysters with their liquor and the eggs; stir until combined. Pat the mixture down into an even layer.
• Put the skillet on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown and crisp around the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes.

OYSTER STEW

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, stirring constantly and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onions and celery and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk and oyster liquid. Season the mixture with salt, cayenne and black pepper. Bring the liquid up to a simmer. Simmer the liquid for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the oysters, garlic and parsley. Bring the liquid back up to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the oysters curl. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remove from the heat. Ladle the soup into the terrine.

GRILLED OYSTERS THREE WAYS

Steps:

• For the mignonette: Stir together the red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, shallots and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the bourbon BBQ sauce: Stir together the barbecue sauce and bourbon in a small bowl. Set aside.
• For the scampi butter: Mash to combine the butter, white wine, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Side aside.
• For the oysters: Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Add the coarse sea salt in mounds to a large 9-by-13-inch aluminum roasting pan.
• Cooking in batches if necessary, put the oysters with their cupped side down in the roasting pan, nestling them in the salt so the flat side is facing up and they do not tip. Put the roasting pan on the hottest part of the grill and close the lid. Cook until the shells open slightly (wide enough to slide a knife in), 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the oysters.
• Carefully remove the roasting pan from the grill. Insert the tip of an oyster knife or small sharp paring knife in the shell opening and run the knife along the inside of the top shell to release the oyster; remove the top shell. Run the knife under the oyster meat in the bottom shell to release the oyster, keeping the oyster and juices in the shell. Repeat with the remaining oysters, placing 12 of them on a platter and the remainder back in the pan. Serve the oysters on the platter immediately with the mignonette, or refrigerate until ready to serve. (See Cook's Note.)
• Spoon the bourbon BBQ sauce over 12 of the remaining oysters in the roasting pan (about 1 teaspoon each). Top each with some of the bacon and chives.
• Put a dollop of the scampi butter over the 12 remaining oysters in the roasting pan (about 1 teaspoon each).
• Return the roasting pan to the grill, close the lid and cook until the oyster fillings are just starting to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and transfer to a serving platter.
• Sprinkle the scampi butter oysters with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and serve immediately.