Souffléed Horseradish Oysters Food

RAW OYSTERS WITH 3 DIPPING SAUCES

Steps:

• For the mignonette: Combine the vinegar, chipotle, peppercorns, shallots, cilantro, and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper and chill.
• For the relish: In a medium saucepan, combine the juices, ginger, garlic and honey and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce by half and set aside to cool. When the syrup has cooled to room temperature, add the shallots, cilantro, lime segments, and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper and pour into a nonreactive bowl.
• For the horseradish sauce: Combine all ingredients.
• For the oysters: Serve the oysters on ice with the mignonette, relish and horseradish sauce.

SOUFFLéED HORSERADISH OYSTERS

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Place crème fraîche in a medium-size bowl and mix in horseradish, ketchup and chives. Season with pepper. Beat egg whites until they hold peaks. Fold into crème fraîche mixture.
• Arrange oysters on a baking pan lined with crumpled aluminum foil to hold them steady, or place them in madeleine pans. Spoon about a tablespoon of the crème fraîche mixture on each. Broil about 3 inches from the source of heat, a minute or so, until lightly dappled with brown on top. Arrange on a platter or on individual plates and serve.

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).

FIRE AND ICE OYSTERS WITH HORSERADISH SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the sauce by whisking together all ingredients except for the oysters; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.
• Rinse and scrub the oysters with a stiff brush.
• To open them, on a folded kitchen towel, grip the oyster flat side up with another kitchen towel protecting your hand.
• Find the small opening between the shells near the hinge and pry open with an oyster knife.
• Try to keep the juices in the shell.
• Loosen the oyster from the shell by running the oyster knife carefully underneath the body.
• Discard the top, flatter shell, keeping the oyster in the bottom, deeper shell.
• Grill the oysters, shell side down, over direct high heat until the juices around the oysters boil and almost completely evaporate, 2-4 minutes.
• Using tongs, carefully remove the oysters from the grill.
• Spoon a small dollop of sauce on top of each oyster and serve with cocktail forks while oysters are hot.

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.