10 mins
Oysters
Recipe by Graham
All sorts of myths appear to exist about these delightful creatures. Certainly, in some countries, they can be quite expensive, and certainly, if you don't know the knack, they can be troublesome to open. On the other hand, they are fun to prepare, good t look at, full of vitamins and iron and exquisitely delectable! I strongly recommend that you purchase a oyster knife which is very short and stubby with a strong, wide blade about 2" (5cm) long.
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Paella Ingredients for Oysters
Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
How to Cook Oysters
- Upon examining the shell, you will find that the oyster is slightly curved with one side being a little concave and one side a little convex. Place the oyster in your left hand (assuming you are right-handed) so that the concave (dipped) side is uppermost. Nearly always, this concave side is slightly smaller than the lower part of the shell and, upon examination, you will be able to see where the two shells meet.
Insert the oyster knife about half-way along the right-hand side as near as possible to the joint between the top and bottom shells. Press and wriggle the knife to force an entry between the shells. Once the knife is inside, swivel or slide it first towards you and then away from you. This cuts through the muscle that the oyster uses to hold the shells tight together. The oyster can then be opened easily with a twist of the knife blade.- Carefully prise the two shells apart, leaving the oyster in the lower shell. Discard the top part. You now have a nice shiny oyster sitting in the lower shell, but usually there are a few pieces of broken shell remaining, so you need to carefully push these out using the tip of the oyster knife. Alternatively, you can 'wash' the oyster in a very gentle trickle of water to remove any bits of broken shell.
- Leave the oysters sitting in their shells for half an hour or so (in the fridge) so they can produce more water (this is part of the flavour of the beast!). Serve with a large wedge of lemon and brown bread and butter.
- To eat them, use a small fork to lift the oyster loose, squeeze a little lemon juice over, place the end of the shell to your lips and tip your head back so that the oyster just slides into your mouth. Indescribably succulent and decadent!!
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
If you are in doubt whether an oyster is fresh after you have opened the shell, touch one edge of it gently with the point of the knife and look for movement. If you are still in doubt, discard it without question.
Reviews of Oysters
| August 09 2014 Thanks for explaining how to open oysters. I got myself a proper oyster knife and followed your instructions and before I knew it I was opening them no problem. I'll be practising more pretty soon! miaivanova (3 reviews) |
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