Stalking the Oyster

Oysters are a big deal around here, and many a generation has made their living harvesting and selling these little bivalves from the surrounding waterways. I love them raw, but you know Southern folk, what with their penchant for battering and frying: there’s just no escaping it.

Fried oyster salad is one of those compromise meals ‘twixt DucCat and I. For days, weeks really, I’ve been aching for salad-based meals, while he’s been in fine and full-on comfort food mode.

He used a mixture of boxed fish fry batter and cracker crumbs to coat the oysters, quickly frying them to a lovely golden-brown. I prepped the salad base, and made a dressing based upon an egg yolk-enhanced mustard vinaigrette, found in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything.


This simple, satisfying meal called for an elegant and classy wine.
Luckily, DucCat had at the ready a Testarossa 2003 Castello Chardonnay.
On the nose, its all airy peachy lightness- on the tongue, it smoothes out with a bit of apricot cream, in just the right amount.

Just the right mixture of heavy and light for a warm winter’s night.


Vinaigrette in the Style of Mayonnaise

adapted from "How to Cook Everything"

1 egg
1/4 cup horseradish mustard
minced onion
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt + freshly ground black pepper to taste

Break the egg into small food processor, and process with the mustard, onion, and vinegar. Drizzle in olive oil with machine running. When the mixture is as thick as heavy cream, add the salt and pepper.

s'kat's notes: I greatly increased the amount of mustard in this, so taste and adjust as necessary.