Oysters for the Holidays: Recipe Ideas

While oysters are delicious raw, there are many other ways to enjoy them. As an appetizer, a starter, or even a main course, here are a few different takes on oysters.

Oyster Soup

Ingredients: 16 oysters, 75 cl mussel stock, 2 egg yolks, 15 cl crème fraîche

1. Prepare the mussel stock (see below).
2. Open the oysters carefully, keeping their liquid. Remove the oysters from the shells and set aside.
3. Strain the oyster liquid through a fine sieve and add it to the mussel stock.
4. Pour into a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. In a bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and crème fraîche, then add to the hot stock.
6. Place the oysters in soup bowls and ladle the soup over them.
7. Serve hot and enjoy!

How to Make Mussel Stock

Ingredients: 1 kg mussels, 1 shallot, 1/4 clove garlic, 45 cl dry white wine, tarragon

1. Clean the mussels thoroughly.
2. Finely chop the shallot and garlic. Finely chop the tarragon.
3. In a large pot, simmer the white wine, shallot, garlic, and tarragon over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Add the mussels. Increase heat to high, stir, and remove from heat as soon as the mussels open.
5. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mussels and place them in a strainer.
6. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve.
7. Let the stock cool completely.

Gratinated Oysters

Ingredients: 16 oysters, 250g Savoie Emmental (PGI), Espelette pepper

1. Preheat the oven on grill mode.
2. Open the oysters and discard the first liquid.
3. Top with grated Emmental and a dash of Espelette pepper.
4. Grill until the cheese starts to turn golden.
5. Ready to enjoy!

Oyster and Bacon Skewers

Ingredients: 18 oysters, 18 thin slices of smoked bacon, pepper

1. Preheat the oven on grill mode.
2. Open the oysters, remove from shells, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray. Season oysters with pepper and wrap each in a slice of bacon.
4. Thread the wrapped oysters onto wooden skewers.
5. Grill the skewers for 1 minute on each side.
6. Best enjoyed hot!

Fried Oysters

Ingredients: flat oysters, 500g English-style breadcrumbs, olive oil, 15 cl tomato purée, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, chives

1. Remove the oyster from its shell and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Prepare the English-style breading (2 whole eggs, 200g flour, 200g breadcrumbs).
3. In a large bowl, mix the tomato purée, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Whisk into an emulsion and set aside.
4. Coat the oysters successively in the eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs.
5. Fry the oysters for 30 seconds in oil at 180°C (355°F).
6. Serve the oyster on a bed of the tomato emulsion and sprinkle with chopped chives.
7. Enjoy while hot!