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Do You Know How to Shuck Oysters?

partysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:50:55 -0800

Yummy Links: From Dungeness Crab to Turkey Cookies

partysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:50:32 -0800

San Franciscans get excited: it's dungeness crab season! - SFoodie
This holiday season, why not bake a beautifully festive cake or cupcakes? - Hostess With the Mostess
Eating dark chocolate may help you handle stress. - The Epi-Log
The FDA has withdrawn the ban on the sale of Gulf Coast raw oysters during warm months. - Eater
Introducing: people talking on bananas. - People Talking on Bananas
Could Jose Garces be the next Iron Chef? - Grub Street Philadelphia
Rachael Ray on the Martha Stewart Show makes for some uncomfortable television. - Eat Me Daily
Learn how to fight wine snobbery. - Chow
Turn Keebler Fudge striped cookies into Thanksgiving turkeys. - Serious Eats

What Would You Serve?

YumSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:30:49 -0700

Entertaining is one of my favorite activities of all time, but as with all hobbies, it requires lots of thinking ahead and decision-making, from planning a prep schedule to coordinating the menu. In this series, I'll present a dish and ask you to share what you'd serve alongside it.

Here's the scenario: I've heard from PartySugar about how picturesque it is to picnic at the Hog Island Oyster Company Farm, so this weekend I'll be scoping it out for myself. I'm rounding up eight close friends for an idyllic lunch, where we'll buy live oysters by the bushel and fire up the grill for barbecued bivalves. What would you serve the guests to complement the oysters? See what I'm thinking of bringing when you keep reading

Come Party With Me: Father's Day - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:30:53 -0700

Father's Day is this Sunday and naturally I'm planning a manly meal that celebrates my dad. He enjoys simple classic American cuisine, so this menu features his backyard favorites. We'll start with oysters on the half shell with a shrimp-butter-Parmesan topping. The recipe broils them, but for an added smoky depth, we'll cook the oysters on the grill. Dad and I will bond over the preparation of hickory-smoked beef ribs. First the meat is coated in an easy spice rub, then after it's slow-cooked on the grill, it's topped with a homemade barbecue sauce.

Grilled corn with chili and cilantro plus new potatoes stuffed with sour cream and blue cheese round out the meal. For these recipes that will please any man's palate, read more.

Oysters Gilhooley
From Saveur

Ingredients

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. worcestershire
1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 1⁄2 tsp. Tabasco
12 oysters, shucked, on half shell
12 small shrimp, cooked and peeled
1⁄3 cup finely grated parmesan
Lemon slices, for serving

Directions

Heat oven to broil; place a rack 3" from heating element.
In a food processor, pulse butter, worcestershire, garlic, and Tabasco until smooth.
Arrange oysters on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top each oyster with a shrimp and some of the butter mixture; sprinkle with parmesan.
Broil until oysters just curl, about 5 minutes. Serve with lemon slices.

Makes 12 oysters.

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Hickory-Smoked Beef and Pork Ribs
From The Neelys

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups paprika
3/4 cup sugar
3 3/4 tablespoons onion powder
2 (about 4 pounds each) slabs beef spareribs
2 (about 3 pounds each) slabs pork spareribs
BBQ Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Make the rub: Place the paprika, sugar, and onion powder in a bowl and stir until combined. Keep in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Make the ribs: Rinse and dry ribs. Place on a clean cutting board and pull off the membrane, the thin fatty skin that lines the underside of the ribs. Trim the ribs of excess fat and meat.
Liberally season both sides of the ribs with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the rub. Wrap ribs and refrigerate for at least 8 hours so flavors can permeate.
Preheat grill to 250 degrees F. using hickory and charcoal. Use indirect heat and cook with the cover down. Place ribs, meatier side down, on the grill away from the coals. Cook beef 2 hours, adding more coals as needed.
Turn and cook for 45 minutes more, or until the ribs "bend" and the meat easily separates from the bone using a fork. Cook the pork ribs 3 hours. Turn and cook another hour, or until ribs bend. Remove from grill.
Coat ribs with BBQ sauce, cut and serve.

Serves 4-6.

BBQ Sauce:
2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon ground mustard

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cooked uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Makes 3 1/2 cups.

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Grilled Corn on the Cob With Chile and Lime
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

6 tablespoons crema mexicana, créme fraîche, or sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or ancho chile powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
8 ears of corn with husks
2 limes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Mix crema mexicana, fresh lime juice, chile powder, and coarse kosher salt in small bowl to blend. Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Remove outer husks from corn, leaving inner pale green husks attached. Fold back inner husks; remove corn silk. Sprinkle corn with salt and pepper. Rewrap inner husks around corn.
Grill corn until husks are charred and beginning to pull away and corn is tender, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Grill lime quarters until lightly charred, about 5 minutes.
Pull husks away from corn to expose kernels. Place corn and lime on platter. Brush corn with crema-lime mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serves 8.

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Sky Blue Potatoes
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

24 new red potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1/4 red onion, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until the skins are crisp, 20 to 25 minutes; let cool.
Scoop out the center of each potato half and place in a medium bowl. Stir in the sour cream, blue cheese, bacon, parsley and onion. Fill each potato skin with the sour cream mixture and top with more crumbled bacon and parsley.

Serves 12.

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Honoring the Half Shell at San Francisco's Oyster Fest

YumSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:30:48 -0700

Over the weekend, I found myself at San Francisco's Oyster Fest an annual event that brings partygoers together with Guinness, live music from Michael Franti and Spearhead, and, of course, oysters in every shape and form. The event took place on a sunny Saturday at a park overlooking the bay, with Drakes Bay Family Farms educating festivalgoers about oyster farming, oyster-shucking demonstrations and a suck-and-shuck contest.

Have you ever been to an oyster festival? Get a glimpse of the festivities when you read more.

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Definition: Mignonette

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:00:32 -0700

Mignonette
A classic condiment for raw oysters served on the half shell, mignonette sauce typically contains vinegar and shallots, and may also include oyster liquor, seasonings, and herbs.

Source

Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:15:39 -0700

Those of you who prefer cooked oysters to raw ones might be fans of this classic oyster dish. Do you know what it's called?

Would You Rather Eat Raw or Cooked Oysters?

partysugar — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:30:49 -0700

A couple of weeks ago when I was browsing Hog Island's Oyster Cookbook, I came across an interesting and truthful quote by food legend M.F.K. Fisher, "There are three kinds of oyster-eaters: those loose-minded sports who will eat anything, hot, cold, thin, thick, dead, or alive, as long as it is oyster; those who will only eat them raw and only raw; those who with equal severity eat them cooked and no other way." While I love oysters in any way, shape, or form, my mother only enjoys cooked oysters. What kind of oyster eater are you? Do you prefer fresh and cold or baked and savory?

Come Party With Me: My Half Birthday - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:00:14 -0800

Although some people may find it crazy, I celebrate my half birthday every year - hey, they don't call me PartySugar for nothing! Since a half birthday party should never be more elaborate than your real birthday, I'm hosting an intimate oyster picnic. A group of my closest friends will join me for an afternoon at the Hog Island Oyster Company Farm. The menu consists of all-you-can-eat fresh oysters and several dishes I'll be preparing in advance. A classic mignonette will be delicious spooned on top the oysters. A crisp salad complete with croutons, mushrooms, and arugula is a filling side. The farm has barbecues that are open to the public, so we'll grill up some simple cheese sandwiches.

Salty, garlicky potato chips provide crunch and round out the easy, portable, make-ahead menu. To check out these recipes, read more.

Oysters With Mignonette
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon very finely chopped shallot
Pinch of coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 dozen fresh oysters, scrubbed, shucked, and left on the half shell

Directions

Stir vinegar, shallot, salt, and tarragon in a small bowl.
Arrange oysters on a bed of crushed ice. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon mignonette over each, and serve.

Makes 1 dozen.

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Autumn Panzanella
From Michael Chiarello

Ingredients

Croutons:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
12 cups crust-free cubed day-old bread (1/2-inch cubes)*
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
Dressing:
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons warm water
Salad:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound fresh wild mushrooms, thickly sliced or quartered
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery heart (on the diagonal), plus some chopped leaves
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced onion-soup style
2 ounces baby arugula or spinach leaves
Grated Parmesan

Directions

For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook until it foams.
In a large bowl, pour the butter over the 12 cups cubed bread and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to season all of the bread.
Transfer the bread to a baking sheet.
Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 15 minutes.
Let cool. Croutons can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container.
For the dressing: Melt the butter in a small skillet over moderately low heat.
Add the yellow onion and saute until soft, about 15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add the vinegar and stir with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet.
Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add 1/2 cup of the olive oil, then the water.
Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
For the salad: Heat a large skillet over high heat.
When hot, add 1/4 cup olive oil.
When the oil begins to smoke, sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss the mushrooms, reduce the heat to moderate, and continue to cook until well browned.
Stir in the thyme and garlic and cook for about 1 minute to release their fragrance. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the croutons, the mushrooms, and the onion dressing. Toss well to coat.
Add the celery, red onion, and arugula or spinach and toss again gently.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Grate fresh Parmesan on top and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10.

Note: For the croutons: use a serrated knife to remove the crust from day-old bread, then switch to a chef's knife to cut the cubes because it doesn't tear the bread. Grate the parmesan finely so that it will stick to the bread better.

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Three-Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

2 slices white bread
Grated Gruyère, fontina and mozzarella cheese
Butter

Directions

Top slices of white bread with a mix of grated Gruyère, fontina and mozzarella cheese. Close the sandwiches and lightly butter the outside of the bread.
Grill over low heat until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Cut into triangles and serve immediately.

Makes 4 triangles.

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Flavored House Made Potato Chips
From Michael Chiarello

Ingredients

Roasted Garlic Spice
8 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
2 teaspoons gray salt
4 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
Pinch chili powder
2 bags favorite plain potato chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the thinly sliced garlic between some parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake until the garlic is dry, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
In a grinder add the dried garlic, salt, black peppercorns, mustard powder, and chili powder. Grind them all up.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spill 2 bags of chips onto a cookie sheet and put in oven to heat them up. When oil is visible on the chips, take them out of the oven, and sprinkle with the garlic spice. Let them cool and serve.

Serves 8-10.

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How to Store Raw Oysters

partysugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:15:36 -0800

Although raw oysters are best consumed as fresh as possible, sometimes it's necessary to store them for a couple of hours or even overnight. My dad purchased 50 oysters on Friday for a small party Saturday. Since they were on the menu raw, we had to keep them cold for about a day. Following the technique described in the Hog Island Oyster Company cookbook, this is how to properly store oysters:

Stack the oysters right side up on a plate or in a baking tray.
Wet a kitchen towel and ring out as much water as possible.
Drape the damp towel over the oysters, covering completely.
Place in the fridge on the shelf closest to the freezer. You want to keep the shellfish really cold without freezing it because this will kill the oysters. If the towel becomes to dry, rewet it with water.

Do you have a tip for storing or enjoying oysters? Please share with us below!

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