Oysters With Pine Nuts And Bacon Food

ROASTED OYSTERS WITH COUNTRY BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a towel, grasp an oyster in the palm of your hand. Press the oyster, rounded side down, on a firm surface, still holding it with the towel. Shuck the oyster by wedging the tip of an oyster knife (regular knives are too thinbladed) between the halves of the shell, at the shell's narrowest end. When the knife tip is securely wedged, rotate the blade to pry open the shell. Slide the knife blade along the length of the shell to open completely. Remove the oyster from the shell and reserve, along with its juice. From each pair of oyster shells, save the one that is most concave on the inside, and discard the one that is flatter. Place the concave shells in a pan of cold water and scrub inside and out. Place the clean oyster shells on a cookie sheet and set aside.
• Dip the tomatoes briefly in boiling water to loosen the skins, then in ice water. Peel, cut in half, remove and discard the seeds and dice.
• Lay out the phyllo dough one sheet at a time on a clean work surface. Brush the sheet lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, crumble the sheet like a piece of newspaper and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
• Have the sauce ingredients measured and ready beside the stove. When you are ready to begin cooking the oysters, place the cookie sheet containing the oyster shells in a 350 degree oven. On the top of the stove, melt the butter in a hot saute pan until it begins to foam. Add the shallots, the oysters and their juice, and the white wine. Cook the oysters for 30 seconds, then add the heavy cream. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce to a simmer for just a minute more, or until the oysters' edges begin to curl. Add the tomato, tarragon, and bacon. Heat for another 30 seconds, then remove promptly from the heat.
• Remove the oyster shells from the oven and arrange six on each plate. Spoon an oyster into each shell and spoon a little of the sauce over each. Top each dish with top hat of crispy phyllo.

FRIED OYSTERS WITH BACON, GARLIC, AND SAGE

Steps:

• Whisk rice flour, salt, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Toss oysters in flour mixture to coat well, then top with a thin layer of dredge (make sure that none of the oysters are peeking out). Cover with plastic wrap and chill in dredge until ready to fry.
• Cook bacon in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until bacon is browned and crisp, 12-15 minutes. Transfer bacon to a small bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Pour half of bacon fat into a small heatproof bowl or measuring cup and set aside. Add 1/2 cup butter to drippings in skillet and heat over medium-high. As soon as butter is foaming, remove half of oysters from dredge and shake off any excess. Add to skillet along with 3 garlic cloves and cook, gently shaking skillet to baste oysters with fat and turning oysters occasionally, until golden brown and crisp all over, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer oysters and garlic to paper towels and let drain.
• Pour off fat in skillet; discard. Wipe out skillet and return to medium-high. Heat remaining 1/2 cup butter and reserved bacon fat in skillet. As soon as butter is foaming, repeat process with remaining oysters and garlic. Transfer to paper towels and let drain.
• Cook sage in same skillet just until crisp, about 30 seconds. Transfer to paper towels.
• Arrange oysters and garlic on a platter and top with fried sage and bacon. Serve with mustard.
• Do Ahead
• Oysters can be dredged 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

BARBECUED OYSTERS WITH BACON AND GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together butter, lemon juice, and garlic; set aside.
• Preheat a grill: If using a charcoal grill, make a fire in your grill with the coals placed off to one side. When the coals are completely covered in gray ash, hold your hand about 5 inches above the grill grid; count how many seconds you can comfortably leave it there. When you can hold it there for 3 to 4 seconds, you have medium heat and are ready to grill. If you are using a gas grill, heat the grill for 15 minutes with the lid closed. Before beginning to cook, reduce the temperature by turning the knobs to medium-high.
• Place oysters on grill near, but not directly over, coals. Top each oyster with 1 teaspoon barbecue sauce and 1 teaspoon butter mixture. Cook until oysters start to ruffle around the edges and juice is bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle oysters with bacon and serve.

OYSTERS WITH PINE NUTS AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Cook bacon in a small heavy-based pan over medium heat until browned.
• Add pine nuts and sauce, stir until well combined. Remove from heat.
• Spoon mixture evenly onto each oyster. Sprinkle with chives.
• Bake 5-10 minutes or until oysters are heated through. Do not overcook.
• Serve immediately.

BAKED OYSTERS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Make stuffing:
• Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot three-fourths full of water to a boil with kosher salt, then stir in spinach and cook 30 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl filled with ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain spinach and squeeze dry, then finely chop.
• Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well.
• Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté bacon, stirring, until golden and just cooked through (but not crisp), about 3 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add leeks, shallot, and garlic to fat in skillet and cook over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
• Toss together leek mixture, spinach, bacon, bread crumbs, herbs, lemon zest and juice, sea salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and butter in a large bowl with a fork.
• Bake oysters:
• Spread 2 to 3 cups rock salt in each of 2 large shallow baking pans and nestle oysters (in shells) in it. Spoon a heaping tablespoon bread-crumb stuffing loosely on top of each oyster. Bake in batches in upper third of oven until golden, about 6 minutes.
• Serve warm oysters in shells on plates lined with rock salt.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH SPINACH AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Line a baking tray with rosk salt or you can use crumpled aluminium foil.
• Preheat grill (broiler) to high.
• Place oysters on top of the salt or foil (this will hold the oysters steady).
• Add the breadcrumbs to a bowl and use your fingertips to rub in the butter.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Spoon mixture on top of the oysters.
• Grill for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the topping is golden.
• serve immediately.

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.

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.