Oysters are the food of love and a perfect Valentine's Day treat for your loved one.
If you are a little unsure about trying oysters these recipes are for cooked oysters which firms up the meat to the texture of a mussel and concentrates the flavour. If you are unsure about eating a raw oyster, or if you want to try something new this Valentine's Day, these are the recipes for you!
Bothy Oysters
Rock oysters with black pudding, apple, whisky and a topping of cheese.
Ingredients
- 6 oysters, opened, reserving juice and shells
- 6 tin slices of good quality black pudding
- 3 teaspoons of apple sauce
- salt and black pepper
- 50ml malt whisky
- 50g Highland Cheddar cheese
- 1 lemon cut into 6 wedges
- parsley
Preheat the grill.
Fry the black pudding until crispy.
Crumble the black pudding into a bowl and mix with the apple sauce, whisky, salt and black pepper.
Place 2-3 teaspoons of black pudding mixture into each oyster shell, top with an oyster and cover with cheese shavings.
Grill for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.
Serve with lemon wedges and top with chapped parsley.
Spicy Tarragon Oysters
You can make this delicious sauce as spicy as you like buy adjusting the amount of chilli you add, whilst the lime and tarragon keeps the sauce nice and fresh.
Ingredients
- 6 rock oysters
- 30g light brown sugar
- juice of 1 small lime
- 1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar or cider vinegar
- half a green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- half a small red onion, finely chopped
- few sprigs fresh tarragon
Place the sugar, lime juice and vinegar into a small pan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar.
Remove from the heat, add the chilli, onion and a couple of roughly chopped tarragon sprigs and leave to cool.
Lay the unopened oysters onto a steamer and steam for 8-10 minutes over a medium heat until the oysters start to open.
Using a cloth to protect your hands, ease the shells open.
Take a knife and loosen the flesh from the shell, leaving the oyster meat in the deeper half of each shell discarding the upper shell.
Tip any cooking liquor from the oyster shell into the tarragon sauce, then spoon over the oysters.
Garnish with the remaining tarragon and serve immediately.
Oysters Au Gratin
Salty oysters with smokey bacon, fresh asparagus and oozy cheese, what's not to like?
Ingredients
- 6 rock oysters opened
- 2 streaky bacon rashers, finely chopped
- 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
- 4 baby asparagus tips, finely chopped
- salt and black pepper
- 30g grated mozzarella cheese
In a small pan cook the bacon for 1-2 minutes until crispy.
Add the celery and asparagus and season.
Spoon the bacon and asparagus mixture over the oysters and sprinkle over the cheese.
Cook the oysters under a medium grill for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and melts and serve immediately.
Crispy Oysters
The added texture of the crispy garlic breadcrumbs works wonderfully with the succulent salty oyster and fresh basil.
Ingredients
- 6 fresh oysters opened
- 20g butter softened
- 30g white breadcrumbs
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon red chilli, finely chopped
- 2-3 basil leaves, roughly chopped.
Preheat the grill.
Put the butter in a small bowl and add the breadcrumbs, garlic, chilli and basil and mix well together to make a paste.
Divide the paste into 6 and place on top of each oyster.
Grill until the paste has melted and is lightly browned on top about 4 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Recipes and photos adapted from Fish is the dish.