National Culinary Review

on the half shell

Steven Redzikowski, chef/owner of Oak at Fourteenth in Boulder, Colo., offers a high-end oyster appetizer featuring ahi tuna tartare with basil/honey vinaigrette. “We were trying to think of different combinations to do with oysters,” he says. “Everyone does a mignonette sauce, which is traditional. Then I realized that when we trim ahi tuna, we have leftovers that can be used for a tartare.”

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar | Louisville, Ky.

2 cups béchamel sauce (recipe follows)

4 oz. Pernod

1 cup diced cooked bacon

2 cups spinach, chopped, cooked

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 24 raw oysters on the half-shell Sea salt Fresh ground pepper

350ºF for 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Redzikowski finely dices sashimi-quality tuna and mixes it with finely chopped basil, cilantro, mint, honey, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar and olive oil. Then a shucked oyster is left on the half shell, and a quenelle of the dressed tuna is placed on top of the oyster. It is served over crushed ice.

Béchamel Sauce
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1¼ cups milk, heated
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

“Our restaurant is focused on wood-fired food, which usually has more robust and rich flavors,” says Redzikowski. “We wanted to do lighter appetizers to start, so it’s not overkill. This oyster appetizer is nice and refreshing to start out with, so you’re not getting something heavy and then something heavy again.”

METHOD: In large pan, bring béchamel to a simmer. Add Pernod; boil to remove alcohol. Stir in bacon and spinach. Remove from heat; fold in Parmesan cheese. Cool mixture in refrigerator for 1 hour. Top oysters with enough mixture to coat them completely. Bake at

METHOD: Melt butter in heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly, until bubbles a bit, about 2 minutes. Add milk, continuing to stir as sauce thickens. Bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Lower heat; cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.