By: Justin and Kayla Butts Photos by: Rachel Benavides
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Some flavors are too good, too pure, too clean to cover up. They just need a little help to unlock their secrets. Oystersbrhave wonderful secrets.br
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Oysters, despite their rugged appearance, are reallybrquite delicate. They live in beds scattered along the floor of the sea.brSeawater flows continuously through oysters in rolling, receding,brand advancing tides. If the water is too cold, too salty, or not saltybrenough, the oysters cannot live.br
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If there are heavy rains up in the Hill Country, hundreds of milesbraway, the rivers will fill and flood eventually into our bays along the coast. We may not see a drop of rain in e Bend for six months, but the surge of freshwater can kill entire oyster beds.
But, when conditions are right, oysters are incredibly resilient. A single oyster can filter up to fifty gallons of seawater per day,brcleansing and purifying the ocean. It is one of the miracles of naturebrthat oysters, by doing so much good for the environment, become sobrdelicious as a result.br
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Oysters are rich in zinc, calcium, iron, and selenium. The metallicbrtaste of oysters comes from these healthy minerals of the sea. Oystersbrare also rich in protein and vitamin B12. The tiny oyster, with its. intense and unusual flavor, is also a powerhouse ofbrnutrition.
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If you prefer your oysters raw, icy-cold, served onbrthe half-shell in their own juices, finished with abrcrisp white wine, we salute you. If you don’t takebryour oysters raw, or if you want to elevate the flavors to another level, try this simple preparation.br
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For thousands of years, hardworking folks wadedbrinto the water and harvested their oysters by hand,brthen cooked them in their shells over a fire. Fire isbrstill the best way to unlock an oyster’s flavors. Twobrminutes on the grill, and they are ready.br
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A simple garlic-butter sauce accentuates the flavorbrof the sea in oysters. We added chives and edible flowers from blooming bok choy. These beautifulbryellow flowers have a light, fruity, almost peppery flavor to balance the brininess of the liquid.br
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The central ingredient of our slaw changes to reflectbrthe harvest of our gardens. In the. beginning of the year, our slawbrfeatures Scarlet Bor kale, Late Flat Dutch cabbage,brDanver’s Half-Long carrots, and other freshly-picked vegetables. You can find these ingredientsbrin your garden or at one of the many local farmers’ markets.br
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Oysters are a gift from the sea, but they are also abrgift to the sea. They cleanse the surging tides andbrhold their secrets in their shells, to be opened atbryour table, and revealed in wave upon wave of flavor.
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Grilled Oystersbrwith Garlic Butter
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutesbr
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Ingredients:br
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2 dozen whole oysters
6 tbsp unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp saltbr
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1/8 tsp red pepper flakesbr
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Directions:br
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Preheat grill to medium-high. Scrub oysters with abrcoarse bristle brush under cool running water. Discardbrany oysters that are open. Place the oysters at sidebrdown on the grill. Close the lid to the grill and heat forbr2-3 minutes. Remove oysters from heat and set aside.br
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Shuck any oysters that did not open during the cookingbrprocess using a flathead screwdriver. Using a knife,brseparate the oyster muscle from the shell. Serve oystersbron the half shell with garlic butter.br
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Garlic Butter: In a small saucepan, heat butter over lowbrheat. Once butter is mostly melted, add garlic, salt andbrpepper. Cook an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute,brstirring constantly. Serve warm, spooned onto grilledbroysters. Top with minced chives and edible flowers.
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KalebrSlaw
Serves 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
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3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon (about 2 tbsp)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
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1/2 tsp salt
br1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp honey
1 cup kale, shredded
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup cabbage, shredded
3/4 cup golden raisinsbr
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Directions:br
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread sunflowerbrseeds on a baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes.brRemove from oven and set aside.br
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In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg yolk well.brSlowly drizzle olive oil into egg yolk and whiskbrwell to incorporate. Continue to add olive oil a little at a time while whisking mixture, until abrmayonnaise consistency is reached. Add lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, poppybrseeds and honey to egg mixture.br
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In a large bowl, combine kale, carrots, andbrcabbage, fold in prepared poppy seed dress-bring, golden raisins, and reserved sunflowerbrseeds. Serve with grilled oysters (also great with fish orbrbarbecue).
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