How to Shuck and Cook Oysters

• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• ¾ cup dry vermouth
• ½ cup Sauvignon Blanc, or other dry, unoaked white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 24 Beausoleil oysters, shucked, liquor reserved
• 1 pound buckwheat or whole wheat capellini
• ¼ cup chives, minced
• 1 lemon
• 2 ounces caviar, preferably Osetra, for garnish

Combine shallot, garlic, vermouth and wine in saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to boil, and cook until reduced by 75% and syrupy. Add cream, milk and reserved oyster liquor. Reduce by about half, or until it has consistency of heavy cream. Add 12 oysters. Remove from heat, cover pan, and steep for 20 minutes. Transfer to blender and purée. Add salt to taste, then pass through fine strainer into large sauté pan.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta, and add to pan with sauce. Turn heat to medium, and toss pasta to coat. Thin sauce with pasta water, if desired. Squeeze lemon over pasta, to taste. Divide pasta among four bowls. Garnish with chives, remaining oysters and caviar. The heat from pasta will warm oysters through. Serves 4.

Jerome Noel, wine director at Bellemore, recommends Etna Bianco, from Sicily. “While the warm Mediterranean climate brings bright ripe stone and orchard fruit, the vineyards’ elevation and poor volcanic soils bring balance, brightness and an almost sea-salty brininess that match perfectly with the oysters and caviar.”

• 1 pound collard greens
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 ham hocks
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup Texas-style hot sauce, preferably Texas Pete
• ½ white onion, sliced
• ¼ cup bacon fat
• ½ tablespoon granulated garlic
• ½ tablespoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
• ½ tablespoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 24 raw oysters, shucked
• 1 cup Hollandaise sauce

Wash collard greens. Remove woody stems, and chop into ½-inch pieces. Set aside.

Combine all ingredients except greens, oysters and Hollandaise in medium pot, and bring to boil. Lower to simmer, covered, until hocks are tender, about 2 hours. Add greens and cook until very tender, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375˚F. Set oysters on sheet pan. Remove ham hocks and drain greens. Divide on top of oysters. Bake oysters for 8 minutes. Just before serving, top with Hollandaise and broil for 30 seconds, or until speckled with brown.

“I like Pinot Noir with rich collard greens, but a red might clash with the oyster itself,” says Sam Richardson, general manager at Tradd’s. “So a rosé of Pinot Noir does all of the things we want Pinot to do but is friendly to the delicate flavors of the oyster.”

• 12 oysters
• Cucumber raita (recipe below)
• 1½ cups flour
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1½ cups cornmeal
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• Lemon zest, for garnish
• Minced chives, for garnish

Shuck oysters, pat dry and place in bowl. Clean empty shells with deepest cups, and put some raita in each. Cover and refrigerate.

Place flour, eggs and cornmeal in separate shallow pans. With fork, coat each oyster lightly in flour, then egg, followed by cornmeal. Let rest on wire rack.

In heavy, deep pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 inches oil between 350–375˚F. Working in batches, fry oysters until golden-brown and floating, about 60 seconds.

Drain on paper towels. Serve oysters atop raita-filled shells. Garnish with lemon zest and chives. Makes 12 oysters.

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• ½ peeled and fine-diced English cucumber
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ clove minced garlic
• 4 julienned mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine Greek yogurt, English cucumber, black pepper, coriander and cumin, minced garlic, mint leaves and lemon juice.

“I would go with a refreshing Vinho Verde,” says Lewis. “The tartness helps cleanse the palate after the fried oyster, and still complements the spice and freshness of the raita.”

• 16 West Coast oysters
• Bottled clam juice (if needed)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 2 cups half-and-half
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Shuck oysters. Strain liquor to remove grit. If necessary, add clam juice to liquor to increase volume to ½ cup.

Heat butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add celery and shallot. Cook until tender, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add half-and-half and oyster liquor. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes, but don’t let boil. Transfer to blender. Purée mixture, and strain back into pot. Add oysters and heat just until edges curl, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serves 2.

Oak-aged Chardonnay is a natural with cream-based soups. A selection from Chile’s Limarí Valley will exhibit both richness and bright acidity, with an almost briny minerality that goes beautifully with oysters.