Oysters With Bacon And Horseradish Food

OYSTERS 'N' BACON

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until shrunken, but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the sugar, soy sauce and garlic with a fork. Wrap each oyster with a piece of bacon, and secure with toothpicks. Place wrapped oysters into the dish with the sauce.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the sauce has thickened and bacon is nicely crisped at the edges.

OYSTERS WITH BACON AND HORSERADISH

Steps:

• Put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp and browned. Remove the bacon from the skillet, leaving the fat in the pan. Drain the bacon on paper towels and reserve.
• Add the onion to the skillet and saute in the bacon fat until tender and golden. Stir in the flour and thyme, then whisk in the wine. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Stir in the horseradish and the bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spread this mixture on top of each oyster. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. The recipe can be prepared in advance up to this point and refrigerated until just before serving.
• Preheat a broiler. Arrange the oysters with their topping on a baking sheet. Put under the broiler and broil until lightly browned and bubbling, three to five minutes. Serve at once.

BAKED OYSTERS WITH BACON MUSHROOM CREAM

Steps:

• Turn oven to broil.
• Place shucked oysters on a baking sheet.
• While oven is heating up, heat sauce pot over med-high heat,.
• Add bacon cooking until crisp, add the mushrooms and sauté until wilted.
• Add garlic, white wine and cream, bring to boil, turn down to a simmer.
• Reduce until slightly thickened, stir in butter, and reserved oyster juices, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place oysters in oven for 2-3 minutes, and place shredded lettuce or rock salt on a serving platter.
• Set oysters on platter and spoon the sauce over each one (if any sauce is left, pass it on the side).

OYSTERS WITH HORSERADISH CREAM

Steps:

• Beat the cream to soft peaks in a chilled bowl; then fold in the horseradish, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
• Taste for seasoning, adding horseradish and lemon juice as necessary; the mixture should be highly seasoned.
• If you have a fish or vegetable grate, preheat it on the grill grate (medium-high) for 5 minutes, then arrange the oysters on it, rounded side down-otherwise, arrange the oysters directly on the grill grate; grill 6-10 minutes, until the shells open.
• Transfer the oysters to serving plates or a platter, discarding any top shells or oysters that did not open.
• Place a spoonful of horseradish cream on each oyster and serve immediately.

OYSTERS WITH APPLE & HORSERADISH DRESSING

Steps:

• Mix the vinegar and shallots for the dressing in a small bowl and leave this to sit, covered, for an hour or so, so that the shallots can infuse the vinegar. Add all the other ingredients, stir and put into a serving bowl.
• Shuck the oysters - make sure you have an oyster knife; don't try to do this with a regular kitchen knife. Rinse the oysters under cold running water. Throw away any that are open and don't close if you tap them against the side of the sink. Place an oyster rounded-side up on a work surface. Grip the oyster with a tea towel to help protect your hand, leaving the narrow hinged end exposed. Place the tip of the knife between the top and bottom shells just next to the hinge. Carefully push it into the shell, twisting and wiggling the knife tip, to release the top shell. At first, it may seem like you aren't getting there, but keep going with gentle pressure until the shell pops open. Try to keep the oyster level, so the delicious liquor (the briny, salty sea water) stays inside the deeper bottom shell.
• Wipe your knife, then pry open the shell by inserting the knife tip in a few other spots, twisting it to release the shell completely. Keeping the oyster level, run your knife along the inside of the upper shell to cut the muscle that attaches the oyster to it. Remove the top shell. Run your knife along the inside of the lower shell and gently cut the oyster free. Leave the oyster nestled in its shell. (If you open an oyster that has a strong, sulphurous smell, chuck it out: it's dead.)
• Transfer the oyster in its bottom shell to a bed of crushed ice or rock salt that will keep the shell level, while you repeat the process with the remaining oysters. Serve immediately with the dressing; each person should use about ¼ tsp of the dressing for each oyster (you can dress each one in advance yourself if you prefer, and add a dill sprig to the tops).