Wood Grilled Oysters In Chipotle Vinaigrette Food

ROASTED OYSTERS WITH WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat a wood-fired or regular oven to 400 degrees F. Fill a 14-inch cast-iron pan with the rock salt.
• Shuck the oysters, keeping them in their bottom shells, then lay them on the rock salt, using care to save as much of the oyster liquor as possible. Place the entire pan in the oven and cook until the oysters are just set, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the bacon to a medium cast-iron pan, then set over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until the fat has rendered out and the bacon begins to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low. Sweat the onions until they have begun to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the mustard, then slowly add the vinegar, stirring. (You will want to stir and swirl the pan as you add the liquid, to help emulsify the mustard and vinegar into the bacon fat.) Add the watercress and stir the mixture to combine and wilt the cress.
• Remove the oysters from the oven. Evenly divide and top each oyster with the bacon vinaigrette.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH CHIPOTLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place butter in a small bowl. Stir in chipotle pepper and set aside.
• Grill oysters for 4 minutes. Transfer oysters to a plate. Spoon chipotle butter over the oysters and serve.

HOW TO GRILL OYSTERS

Steps:

• Preheat grill to high (very important, otherwise they will not get hot enough to pop open the shells).
• Check oysters for freshness by tapping each oyster gently on a work surface to make sure they close their shells when tapped. Discard any oysters that don't close.
• Place the oysters on the grate with the deeper shell down to hold in the juices.
• Grill for 5-8 minutes. Remove each oyster from the grill the second the shell pops open (even if it is ever so slightly open) dumping out the juices onto the coals. Do not delay in removing them from the grill, as they will cook up to nothing!
• Pry off top shells with an oven mitt, pull the oyster off of the top shell. Dump out juices, return oyster to the shell and serve immediately.