Oyster dishes: traditional and delicious

IN THE KITCHEN by Ann Harwood: Three recipes for cooked oysters with various toppings that have won the day in the Harwood household.

Illustration by Judy Martin

   Luxury foods always seem to make their appearance at the holidays. Even in Dickens’ day, families with precious little luxury the rest of the year tried to save for a goose and the ingredients for plum pudding and punch at Christmas time.
   We who are luckier today, with occasions throughout the year for dining out and preparing special dinners, still indulge ourselves for the holidays. Oysters, caviar, champagne, rib roasts of beef and filet mignon, and lobster suddenly seem worth the splurge.
   Since I love oysters, as do most of my family, oysters have long been high on my list of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year menus.
   Sometimes we will get wonderful oysters bred in northern waters (such as the Prince Edward Island Malpeques) from Nassau Street Seafood in Princeton and have them on the half shell with just a bit of black pepper and fresh lemon juice. I think the traditional vinegar and shallot mignonette sauce for oysters overwhelms their wonderful, subtle flavors.
   Some of my children who love oysters cooked, or in stew, cannot abide them raw, so cooked oysters with various toppings have won the day most years. I do think ice-cold dry champagne is the best wine for raw oysters. We do not serve wine with oyster stew. With Oysters Rockefeller, choose either a champagne or Chenin Blanc/Vouvray; with the tarragon oysters, a dry, herbaceous Chardonnay or Pouilly-Fuissé.
OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER
(The Harwood Variation)
   ¾ cup toasted fresh breadcrumbs
   4 tablespoons melted butter
   5 scallions, chopped fine, green included
   4 tablespoons unsalted butter
   ¼ cup flour
   2 cups liquid (reserved oyster liquid plus milk)
   2 tablespoons Herbsaint or Pernod
   1 large handful Italian/flat-leaf parsley
   1 large handful watercress leaves
   1 defrosted, drained 10-ounce package chopped spinach
   salt and cayenne pepper to taste
   dozen shucked oysters (save liquor)
   1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Butter 12 scallop shells or shallow ramekins. Toss breadcrumbs with melted butter and distribute over bottoms of shells or ramekins.
   2. Place unsalted butter in medium stainless or enameled saucepan and cook scallions until translucent. Add flour and cook a minute or so until flour develops a nutty, pie crust aroma. Gradually whisk in liquid and cook until sauce thickens. Add Herbsaint and cook a few more seconds.
   3. Chop parsley and cress in blender or food processor. Add sauce while processor is running and puree greens. Turn off motor and remove container from motor base. Taste sauce for seasoning.
   4. Place 3 oysters on top of crumbs in each ramekin and top with sauce. Bake until sauce bubbles and starts to brown at the edge. Serve immediately.

OYSTERS WITH SHALLOT BUTTER AND TARRAGON
adapted from Claude Guermont’s "The Norman Table"
   3 dozen oysters
   1 small bunch fresh tarragon
   12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature*
   2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
   2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion, green included
   1 teaspoon lemon juice
   salt and freshly ground black pepper
   crunchy, crusted baguette or ficelle
   1. Shuck oysters, reserving liquor. Pick shell bits from oysters and clean deep half of shells. Place deep shell halves on jelly roll pan. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a small leaf or two of tarragon in bottom of each shell. Place oysters on top of tarragon. Pour a little oyster liquor over each oyster.
   2. Cream butter with shallots, scallions and lemon juice. Season to taste. Place 1 teaspoon butter on each oyster. Bake 7-8 minutes. Serve immediately with French bread to soak up the juices.

   * To reduce the butterfat, you could probably get away with using just 6 tablespoons butter and topping each oyster with just ½ teaspoon butter mixture before baking.
   Variation: You could try lime juice and cilantro and a drop of cayenne or Tabasco instead of the tarragon, lemon juice and black pepper. I just think that we are seeing so much lime juice and cilantro on menus these days, the older tarragon/French seasoning seems welcome indeed.
CHRISTMAS EVE OYSTER BISQUE
   2 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
   1 small onion, cut into large pieces
   1 small carrot, cut into large pieces
   2 tablespoons unsalted butter
   1 quart skimmed milk (can be Lactaid)
   2 cups heavy cream
   liquor drained from oysters
   pinches of cayenne pepper, white pepper and mace to taste*
   2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
   1 quart shucked oysters
   Sweet Hungarian paprika for garnish (optional)
   1. Using pulsing technique, mince vegetables in food processor, but don’t puree. Place in large kettle with butter and cook, covered, over low heat until onion is translucent.
   2. Add milk, cream, oyster liquor and spices. Heat gently to the scalding point, just below the boil, stirring with a whisk as it heats.
   3. Add spinach and cook about 30 seconds. Add oysters and continue heating gently and stirring with the whisk until edges of oysters curl and ruffle. Important note: Do not boil.
   4. Taste for salt. Serve immediately with dash of paprika on top.

   *Be particularly careful not to add too much mace.
   Alternate topping: Make croutons sautéed in just a little butter to top the bisque.