One need not have la bonne bouche—that is, a gourmet's fine sense of taste—in order to enjoy oysters. But if you are a gourmet, Oysters are undoubtedly one of your favorite foods. And history will tell you that gourmets through the ages have felt the same way about this odd little shellfish. The evidence is everywhere: in the kitchen middens remaining from prehistoric times in Western Europe, in the records left by the ancient Greeks and Romans, in the heaps of shells that the first white men found along our own Maine coast. The Romans, for example, were such great lovers of oysters that even in the second and first centuries D.C. they imported them from Britain and the demand soon outstripped the supply! These Roman epicures could recognize what oysters they were eating. Juvenal, writing of one such connoisseur, said,
He could tell
At the first mouthful if his oysters fed
On the Rutupian or the tacrine bed
Or at Circeii.
A latter-day poet, writing of oyster lovers, might substitute the names Chesapeake Bay, Long Island, and the West Coast, for all these oysters have distinctive flavors and fierce partisans who recognize their favorites instantly.
My first introduction to oysters was, naturellement, in France, which, like the United States, values the oyster beds along its coast line very highly. There Gallic ardor sharpens the arguments about the different types. When you go to France you must try the Marennes, named, as you may know, after a French seaport. They are unique because of their greenish color, the color derived from the microscopic sea plants on which they feed. According to tradition, the first Marennes were found during the siege of nearby La Rochelle in the seventeenth century. The citizens threw some oysters into an old bed. Long afterwards, when the oysters were dredged out, their greenish color so startled the fishermen that they were afraid to eat them. However, there are always a few brave souls who will take a chance; and those who did found that the flavor as well as the color had changed, and for the better. Today, the Marennes is the most sought-after and expensive French oyster. As a result, in the département of the Charente-Maritime, oysters are fattened in water enclosures called claires, where the minute organisms that impart the desired color and flavor abound.
You can travel the world over and eat oysters of many kinds, but nowhere are more care, effort, money, and research devoted to the production of fine oysters than right here in the United States. As every chef knows, no food, not even milk, is more carefully protected against harmful contamination. The waters where oysters are grown are constantly tested; samples of the oysters themselves are examined in increasing numbers each year by bacteriologists. The need for this meticulous care stems from the fact that so many oysters are eaten raw.
The question that intrigues most oyster lovers is why they are eaten only in the R-months. Tradition has something to do with it, and tradition is hard to put down. At any rate, we know this rule goes back as far as the year 1599 when Richard Butler, the vicar of an English country parish, wrote: “The oyster is unseasonable and unwholesome in all the months that have not the letter R in their names.” More recent investigations have brought to light the fact that European oysters are subject to a specific summer disease which is fortunately not a problem with oysters grown in the United States coastal waters.
An assistant surgeon general of our Department of Public Health has cited another peculiarity of European oysters from which the R rule may have originated. He says: “In that species of oyster eaten in the Old World for centuries, fertilization of the seed from which the baby oysters grow takes place within the shell of the parent oyster. Shortly before the baby oysters are ejected by the patent to fend for themselves, they begin to develop a shell. If the Old World oyster is eaten at this stage of incubation, the large number of microscopic baby oysters, each developing a shell, imparts a gritty quality to the meat. Because the reproductive period of all oysters is in summer, early settlers to this country, cognizant of this but mindful only of their Old World variety, avoided placing New World oysters on the menu until later in the year. Even after our forefathers discovered that the North American East Coast oyster fertilizes its eggs in the sea water outside the parent shell, oyster consumption in this country continued, for the most part, to be a winter activity. Partly responsible for this was the fact that only in recent years have refrigeration facilities been developed whereby oysters can be preserved in warm weather while being transported from the coastal growing areas.”
There still remains one valid reason for applying the R-month tradition to oysters grown in our own coastal waters: the fact that oysters are not in prime condition during the summer months because it is the breeding period. After spawning they lose weight and become watery, and consequently less flavorful. Then the spawned-out oysters normally have to go through a resting period before they begin to fatten again. This whole process is not usually completed much before the onset of cold weather. The story of oyster breeding is fascinating and unusual, but it is too detailed to cover in this article. It is enough to say that because an oyster only swims for the short two weeks of its life when it is hardly out of the microscopic stage, and ever after lacks power of locomotion, it must grow where it attaches itself or where it is transplanted by the hand of man. What actually happens in the industry is that oystermen put in the beds millions of old shells for the tiny seed oysters to drop onto and to cling to-this is technically, and descriptively called “the clutch.” When the oysters are about two years old, they are moved from the breeding grounds to other waters that provide the food they need to develop maximum succulence and a characteristic flavor. Oysters grown this way are fairly uniform in size and shape. On the other hand, there are areas all along the coast lines where oysters breed, grow, and are harvested without interference. But these are usually sold locally and are apt to vary greatly in size, shape, and flavor, according to the water and character of the bottoms where they have grown.
The oysters you buy are usually four to seven years old. You can determine the age by counting the ridges on the outside of the shell, one for each year. And that brings up the first problem in their preparation: how to open them. Actually, this is a specialized skill that is considered a trade, and there are men who derive most of their living from it. An amateur will find the shells rough and heavy to handle, and the muscle that keeps them tightly closed tough and difficult to negotiate. Sec GOURMET'S November issue, page 25, for a description of how to open the recalcitrant oyster.
If you do want to open your own oysters, I think you will be interested also in the trick that Mr. Royal Toner recommends. Mr. Toner, who produces a large percentage of the oysters eaten in this country and who is an authority on them, should know. He advises that you spread the oysters on a shallow pan and put the pan in a moderately hot oven (375° F.) for five or six minutes, depending upon their size. Then drop the oysters immediately into ice water. The heat relaxes the muscle, making the oyster easy to open, yet it does not affect the oyster itself in any way, because it cannot penetrate the heavy shell. Mr. Toner tells me that he has served oysters opened by a professional oysterman side by side with those opened this way, and it was almost impossible to tell the difference.
Raw oysters are usually accompanied by something sharp and acidic. In this country it is usually a cocktail sauce with a tomato base, or lemon juice and horseradish, or even plain lemon juice. In France they prefer shallot sauce. The following is the cocktail sauce we served at the Ritz:
Mix together 1 cup tomato ketchup, 1/2 cup chili sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 teaspoon celery salt, and 5 drops Tabasco sauce. Chill the mixture and serve with oysters or other shellfish.
The French shallot sauce for oysters is made as follows:
Mix 1 teaspoon finely chopped shallots with 3 tablespoons vinegar (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice) and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Raw oysters, or those cooked very lightly, are probably one of the most easily digested of the solid foods we eat. But they have one peculiarity-they are quickly toughened by alcohol. For this reason, people who eat raw oysters should drink very little, if any, hard liquor. If you drink anything with oysters, male it a dry white wine, as delightful a combination, incidentally, as you could ask for.
There is only one rule that is important in cooking oysters-and that is not to overcook them. They require hardly any heat at all. They are never boiled, merely simmered-and then only for about two minutes. For oyster stew the instructions usually say “until the edges curl,” but even that is too long to suit some oyster lovers. At the Ritz, if oysters were very large, we often trimmed the edge because it sometimes cooks tough, even with the gentlest heat.
Huitres Marinées (Marinated Oysters for Hors-d'Oeuvre)
Combine in a saucepan 1 cup white wine, 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, 8 peppercorns, 1 tablespoon salad oil, 1 onion and 1 medium carrot, sliced, 8 sprigs of parsley, 1 stalk of celery, I clove garlic, a little thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring the marinade to a boil, cook it for about 1 hour, and strain it. Add 3 or 4 dozen raw oysters and their juice, bring the marinade to a boil, and remove the pan from the heat. Let the oysters cool in the marinade. To serve, put the oysters in an hors-d'oeuvre dish and pour over them enough marinade to keep them moist. Sprinkle them with chopped parschopped chives and garnish the dish with slices of lemon.
To cook oysters in their shells, as for oysters à l'américaine and the like, open the oysters and reserve and clean the deep shells. These shells are then nested firmly in salt on a baking pan or plate to keep them from tipping.
Huitres au Caviar (Oysters with Caviar)
Open and drain well 6 oysters for each serving. Reserve and clean the deep shells. Put 1 generous teaspoon caviar in the bottom of each deep shell, lay an oyster on the caviar, and cover it with a thin slice of lemon. Serve the oysters with a dish of finely chopped parsley.
Oysters Casino
Open 6 oysters for each serving and leave them in the deep shells. Cover each with a square of sliced bacon and bake in a hot oven (450° F.) or under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. Add to each a little freshly ground pepper and a little maitre d'hôtel butter, made by creaming 1/2 cup butter with 1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the oysters hot, with lemon wedges.
Poached Oysters
To poach oysters for use in other recipes, remove them from their shells and put them in a saucepan with their own juices. Bring the liquid to a boil, remove the pan from the heat, and let the oysters stand for a few minutes. Drain the oysters well. The juice may be cooked until it is reduced to half its original quantity, strained through a cheesecloth, and used as part of the liquid in whatever sauce is made for the oysters.
Huitres Bourguignonne (Oysters with Garlic Batter)
Open 3 dozen oysters and reserve the deep shells. Poach the oysters and return them to the shells. Prepare bourbutter as follows: Work 1/2 pound sweet butter with 1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed, until it is creamy. Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon finely chopped mixed tarragon, chives, chervil, and paisley. Blend the butter well and spread a little of it over the oysters. Sprinkle lightly with cracker crumbs. Hake in a very hot oven (450° F.) or under the broiler for a few minutes, until the crumbs are a light golden brown.
Oysters Portia
Poach 6 freshly opened oysters for each serving and drain them well. Prepare 1 cup Mornay sauce (page 52) and add to it 2 tablespoons puree of spinach, 1 teaspoon finely chopped chives, and 1 tablespoon mixed finely chopped parsley, tarragon, and chervil. Put a little of this sauce in each deep shell, and add the oyster. Spread the remaining sauce over the oysters. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan and brown the topping under a hot broiler. Garnish with a sprig of parsley and a wedge of lemon.
Creamed Oysters
Poach 6 freshly opened oysters for each serving, put them in a bowl with a little of the juice, and reserve the remainder of the juice. For each 12 to 18 oysters make 1 cup bechamel sauce for fish (page 52). Reduce the oyster liquor to half its original quantity and add it to the bechamel. Correct the seasoning, combine the sauce with the oysters, and add a little cream, if necessary, to thin the sauce to the desired consistency. Heat again without boiling.
Huitres à la Madras (Curried Oysters)
Follow the recipe for creamed oysters adding 1 tablespoon curry powder to the reduced oyster liquor. Serve curried oysters with rice.
Scalloped Oysters
Sprinkle the bottom of a baking dish with cracker crumbs and pour a little cream over the crumbs. Arrange freshly opened oysters, 6 for each serving, side by side on the crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and a little grated nutmeg. Add more cream, cover the oysters with a thin layer of cracker crumbs, dot with bits of butter, and bake in a very hot oven (450° F.) just long enough to brown the top.
Oysters Newberg
Poach 3 dozen freshly opened oysters for 2 minutes and drain them, Brown 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and toss the oysters over high heat for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add 4 egg yolks beaten with 1 1/4 cups cream. Return the pan to the stove and heat the sauce, moving the pan constantly with a circular motion to roll the oysters in the egg and cream. Do not allow the sauce to boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces, and 1/4 cup dry Sherry. Serve immediately, on toast.
Oyster Panics
Prepare 2 cups thick Mornay sauce (page 52). Cook 10 mushrooms, sliced, for 5 minutes in a little water and lemon juice. Add 3 dozen freshly opened poached oysters and 2 truffles cut in dice. Add a little of the juice from the truffle can and some of the cooking liquor from the mushrooms to the Mornay sauce, to thin it to the consistency of a light cream sauce. Combine oysters, mushrooms, and truffles with the sauce and bring the mixture just to the boiling point, Serve in individual patty shells, in a vol-au-vent, or in a timbale case.
Fried oysters are very popular, and there are several ways to make them. You can coat them with egg and bread crumbs-what the French call à l'anglaise-and then sauté them in butter or fry them in deep fat. Or you can coat them with fritter batter or make them into beignets or combine them with a thick cream sauce to make croquettes. I give you recipes for all these preparations here.
Huitres à I'Anglaise (Breaded Fried Oysters)
Poach oysters lightly and drain them well on paper toweling. Dip them in beaten egg seasoned with a little salt and pepper, then in fine bread crumbs. In a shallow pan heat enough clarified butter to cover the bottom generously. Arrange the oysters side by side in the pan and cook them until they are golden brown. Turn them and cook them brown on the other side. Serve with a sprig of parsley, a wedge of lemon, and a dish of sauce tartare.
Or poach the oysters, drain them on paper towels, roll them in flour and then in an anglaise coating made by beating together well 2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, I tablespoon salad oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dip them into fine bread crumbs and cook them in deep hot fat for 2 or 3 minutes, or until they are golden. Serve with parsley, a lemon wedge, and a dish of tartare sauce.
Beignets d'Huitres (Oyster Beignets)
Poach 2 dozen freshly opened large oysters, drain them, and cut them in dice. Bring to a boil 1 cup milk (or 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup strained oyster liquor), 1/2 cup butter, 2 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon sugar. Add 1 cup flour all at once and cook, stirring, until the mixture forms a smooth ball and dears the sides of the pan. Remove the batter from the heat and cool it slightly. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Drain the diced oysters on a towel and add them to the batter. Drop the mixture by spoonfuls into deep hot fat (375° F.) and fry the beignets until they are brown on both sides; they will turn in the fat as they cook. Drain on paper towels and serve very hot, with cocktail sauce or sauce Motility (page 52).
Fritofs d'Huitres
(Oyster Fritters) Poach 6 freshly opened oysters and drain them well. Place them on a plate and sprinkle them with lemon juice and finely chopped parsley. Coat the oysters with fritter batter and fry them golden brown in deep hot fat (375° F.). Drain them on paper toweling and serve them with fried parsley and any desired sauce.
Fritter Batter
Combine 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salad oil, and 5 tablespoons lukewarm water and mix the batter until it is smooth. Fold in 1 egg white beaten stiff.
Fried Parsley
Wash parsley thoroughly and dry it well. Drop it in very hot fat and cook it 1 or 2 minutes, until the parsley comes to the surface of the fat and becomes crisp. Drain the parsley on paper toweling and sprinkle it with a little salt.
Croquettes d'Huitres à la Norttumde (Oyster Croquettes)
Poach 2 dozen freshly opened large oysters for 2 minutes, drain them, and cut them in dice. Cook in a little water with a few drops lemon juice 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms. Cut in dice enough truffles to make 2 tablespoons. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, add 1/4 cup flour, and cook, stirring, until the roux starts to turn gulden. Add 1 1/2 cups hot milk and 1/2 cup strained oyster liquor. Cook the sauce, stirring constantly, until it thickens, and cook it, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes longer. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat 4 egg yolks lightly and combine them with the sauce by mixing a little of the hot sauce with the yolks and returning this to the pan. Cook just until the boiling point is reached, remove the pan from the heat, and add the oysters, mushrooms, and truffles. Reheat the sauce without boiling it and correct the seasoning. Spread the mixture on a buttered flat plate to cool. Form croquettes of any desired shape, roll them in flour, in well-beaten eggs, and finally in fine dry bread crumbs. Fry the croquettes in clarified butter or cook them in deep hot fat (375° F.) until they are brown. Drain on paper toweling and serve with a cream sauce enriched with 1 egg yolk.
Omelette with Oysters
Poach 6 freshly opened oysters for each serving, and combine them with enough bechamel sauce for fish (page 52) to moisten them nicely. Put the oysters in an omelette before rolling it or garnish the platter with them.
Anges à Cheval (Angels on Horseback or Skewered Oysters)
Poach 6 freshly opened oysters for each skewer. Drain the oysters on paper towels, roll each in a thin slice of bacon, and thread them on the skewer, not too close together. Sprinkle with a little melted butter and broil lightly. Serve the Oysters on toast with maitre d'hôtel butter, a sprig of parsley, and a piece of lemon.
Or put squares of parcooked bacon between the poached oysters, beginning and ending with a piece of bacon, Roll the filled skewer in melted butter and broil. Sprinkle with fresh bread crumbs when the bacon is about half done. Serve with maitre d'hôtel butter, a sprig of parsley, and a piece of lemon.