Tapas/Starters

A Dozen Oysters Served 4 Ways

Ingredients:

-         12 oysters, pacific or bluff oysters in NZ

-         1 egg, beaten

-         Plain flour for  dusting and 1 teaspoon for mixing

-         Panko

-         1 tablespoon Soy sauce

-         1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

-         1 teaspoon Fine sea salt

-         1/8  teaspoon ground pepper

-         1/8 teaspoon five spice powder

-         Oil for deep frying

Dipping sauce/condiments:

1.      Lemon wedges

2.      Minced shallot in white wine vinegar

3.      Minced garlic in mayonnaise with a few drops of lemon juice

4.      Minced coriander

Method:

1.      Save 3 oysters for  au naturel, serve them with lemon wedges and minced shallot in white wine vinegar.

2.      Rinse off the slimy bits of the remaining 9 oysters and dry them thoroughly with paper towels.

3.      Crumbed:-

Dust 3 oysters with plain flour then put them in beaten egg and covered with panko and deep fried them till turning golden. Drain excess oil and serve with garlic mayonnaise.

4.      Salt and Pepper:-

Mixed 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/8 teaspoon five spice powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon plain flour together. Coat 3 oysters with this mixture and deep fry them  for 1 minute or till they turn golden. Drain excess oil and sprinkle with minced coriander and serve.

5.      Torched:-

Mix the soy sauce with 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar, brush a layer of the mixed sauce on top of 3 oysters, then a layer of beaten egg and torch them till they start to char but do not burn them. Brush with another layer of mixed sauce before serving.

Hint:

-         After mixing the garlic, lemon juice and mayonnaise, leave them for 10 minutes to let the garlic infuse into the mayonnaise before serving.  Same for the minced shallot in white wine vinegar.

-         Make sure the oil is hot enough when deep frying the oysters with salt and pepper, if the oil is not hot enough, the flour coating will turn gluey.

-         Make sure you shake off excess panko or flour with salt and pepper before you deep fry the oysters.