Cornmeal Fried Oyster Sandwich With Lemon Tartar Sauce Recipes

CAJUN FRIED FLOUNDER WITH DIJON TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the tartar sauce: Stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, relish, dill, vinegar, sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Make the flounder: Soak the fish in the buttermilk in a bowl for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour enough oil to go 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a large, deep cast-iron skillet. Heat over medium heat to 375 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the fish lightly with salt and pepper. Place the cornmeal and flour in a shallow dish or paper bag. Sprinkle the fish with the Cajun seasoning. Add the fish to the flour mixture and coat each piece evenly. Transfer the breaded fish to a plate or cutting board.
• Add the fish to the oil in batches and fry until the pieces start to float to the top and are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a wire rack after cooking to let the extra oil run off. Sprinkle a little lemon juice on top of each fillet before serving. Serve with the tartar sauce.

CORNMEAL-FRIED OYSTERS WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• The oysters may be shucked at home or by the fish dealer, reserving the liquor. If there is less than a cup of liquor, add enough clam broth to make a cup.
• Combine the shallots, vinegar, garlic, oyster liquor and wine in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook 45 minutes or more, until the liquid is reduced to about a third of a cup. Add the cream. Bring to the simmer and cook about 20 minutes, until reduced to one cup.
• Stir in the mustard and bring to the simmer. Add the butter in small pieces, stirring rapidly with a wire whisk. Line a bowl with a sieve, preferably of the sort known in French kitchens as a chinois. Strain the sauce, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much flavor as possible from the solids. There should be about one cup of strained sauce. Set the saucepan in a bowl of simmering water to keep it hot.
• Blend the cornmeal, salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder in a shallow dish. Dredge each oyster in the mixture and shake off the excess.
• Heat the oil in a skillet and add the oysters without crowding. Cook, turning the oysters, one to two minutes depending on the size of the oysters. Do not overcook. As they are cooked, transfer the oysters to paper towels to drain.
• Divide the spinach with pancetta among four plates. Spoon the sauce to one side of the spinach and arrange four cooked oysters on the sauce.

FRIED OYSTERS WITH TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the oysters: Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge each oyster in the flour, then dip in the beaten egg, then coat evenly in the panko.
• Set breaded oysters on a baking cooling rack, leaving a little room between the oysters so they can dry and set. Refrigerate until ready to fry and serve.
• Make the sauce: Finely mince garlic with a pinch of salt until sticky and pasty. Mince shallots, cornichons and capers as finely as possible. Add all to a small bowl. Stir in mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, caper brine and cornichon vinegar, and stir well. Add chopped parsley, stir well and season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Fry the oysters: Melt enough shortening in a deep medium skillet (we love cast iron) over medium for 1 1/2 inches of liquified fat once hot. Increase heat to medium-high. It's ready to fry in when a few crumbs of panko or the tip of a wooden chopstick sizzles actively in the fat.
• Add the oysters cold from the refrigerator, working in batches of 6 to 8 or as you have room. Fry, making sure to turn them to get both sides, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes, depending on size. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider, and let rest on a clean rack while you fry the rest. Season each batch with a little salt while still piping hot, as soon as you pull them from the fat. Serve with tartar sauce.

CORNMEAL-CRUSTED OYSTER SANDWICH

Steps:

• If using fresh oysters, shuck them. Drain jarred oysters thoroughly in a strainer and set aside.
• In three separate bowls, place the flour, eggs, and 2 tablespoons of the cornmeal. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper to the eggs and beat well. Stir the Old Bay, remaining teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper into the flour.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil and stir until the butter has melted.
• Dip 1 oyster first in the flour, then the eggs, and then the cornmeal, coating it evenly. (The cornmeal may begin to clump as you bread the oysters. About every five oysters, add 1 more tablespoon of cornmeal to the cornmeal bowl, or, if necessary, scoop the clumped cornmeal out of the bowl or start a fresh bowl of cornmeal.)
• Add the oysters to the skillet and cook them for 1 minute on each side, or until the crust turns golden brown. Transfer the oysters to a plate lined with paper towels.
• To assemble the sandwiches, spread 1/2 tablespoon of the mayonnaise on each slice of bread. Layer 5 oysters and some lettuce on top of 4 slices. Place the remaining 4 slices bread on top of the lettuce. Serve immediately.

OYSTER LOAF SANDWICH

Steps:

• To make the tartar sauce: (see note above for short cut) Place yolks (or egg beaters), 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, mustard and cayenne in food processor or blender and blend or process to combine. With machine running add the remaining oil (7 tablespoons) and process until thick. Transfer tartar sauce to a small bowl and stir in remaining sauce ingredients (green onions - salt. (*sauce can be prepared two days ahead and refrigerated).
• To prepare bread for sandwiches: using a long serrated knife, cut loaves in half length-wise. Remove centers from each half, leaving a 1-inch shell. Place bread centers in clean processor or blender and using on/off turns, process until crumbs are fine. Transfer to pie dish or medium bowl and stir in dry breadcrumbs.
• To prepare oysters: set up three pie dishes or bowls for dipping. Pie dish 1: whisk eggs and milk together in dish, set aside. Pie dish 2: pour in flour and set aside. Pie dish 3: bread crumbs.
• Season oysters with salt and pepper and then dredge in flour, patting off excess, dip in egg mixture and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat for all oysters (or see note above and use other or a combination of shell fish) and then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place bread halves on cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Heat oil in skillet or deep fryer to 375°F.
• Deep fry oysters in batches until crisp and golden brown, turning occasionally (3-5 minutes). Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• To make sandwiches: spread the tartar sauce (see note above in description) on insides of each bread half, sprinkle with lettuce over the bottom halves and then top with tomato slices and finally top with oysters. Cover loaves with top halves of the bread. Cut each loaf into thirds.