Poached Oysters With Leeks And Bacon Recipes

ROASTED OYSTERS WITH LEEKS AND BACON

Steps:

• Clip the leeks' dark outer leaves with scissors. Remove root ends, quarter leeks lengthwise, then cut into medium dice. Soak leeks in 2 charges of water to remove grit; drain well.
• Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes; drain, chop fine, and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings; reserve 1 tablespoon of the remaining drippings. Add leek; sauté, seasoning with salt and pepper, until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Add cream; continue to cook until thickened slightly, a few minutes.Stir in cheese.
• When ready to serve, adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Arrange oysters on a rimmed baking sheet. Mix bacon with breadcrumbs, and remaining tablespoon of bacon drippings. Top each oysters 2 tablespoons of the leek mixture and 1 tablespoon of the breadcrumb mixture. Roast until leek mixture bubbles and crumbs are golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve.

OYSTER PIE WITH LEEKS, BACON AND MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until completely tender. Drain potatoes, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Return potatoes to pot, add 2 tablespoons butter and season generously with salt and pepper. Mash well, adding cooking liquid as necessary to thin. Cover and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, render the bacon: Put a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add lardons. After a minute or so, when they begin to sizzle, turn heat to medium and stir them in pan to distribute evenly. Cook for a minute or two, letting bacon soften without browning. When it is just beginning to crisp, tip everything into a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to drain. (Reserve the fat for another purpose.) Set bacon aside.
• Put a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter. Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until wilted but still bright green, about 1 minute. Add reserved bacon, thyme, crème fraîche, heavy cream, mustard and cayenne; bring to a simmer. Add oysters and oyster juices, cook 1 minute, then remove from heat. The mixture will be rather soupy.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Transfer oyster mixture to a low-sided casserole dish approximately 9 inches across. Carefully cover the surface with spoonfuls of mashed potatoes in an even layer. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan and dot with butter. Set pan on a baking sheet in case there's overflow while cooking. Bake for about 40 minutes, until you can see the stew simmering at the edges and the top is beautifully browned. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.

POACHED BEEF WITH LEEKS

Steps:

• Cover potatoes with cold water in a saucepan; add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes; drain. Return to pot; cover.
• Stir together horseradish, vinegar, parsley, oil, and a pinch of salt; set aside.
• Bring stock, wine, celery, and garlic to a boil in a tall, narrow 6-quart pot. Reduce heat to medium-low; add leeks and 3 sprigs thyme. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a large bowl; cover. Place beef and peppercorns in pot; add water just to cover, if necessary. Partially cover pot; cook at a bare simmer until an instant-read thermometer reads 130 degrees when inserted into center of beef, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove beef, and let rest 10 minutes.
• Carve beef on a carving board into 18 thin slices; add any juices to broth. Pour broth through a fine sieve into bowl with vegetables; discard solids. Divide soup, potatoes, and beef among six bowls; garnish with thyme. Serve sauce on the side.

POACHED OYSTERS WITH LEEKS AND BACON

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer it to a plate topped with paper towels, then drain the skillet of all but 1 tablespoon fat; set the skillet aside.
• Heat the white wine in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When it starts to simmer, add the oysters and poach just until the edges start to curl, about 4 minutes (reduce the heat if the simmer gets too lively). Drain the oysters in a fine colander placed over a large bowl, reserving the poaching liquid.
• Reheat the skillet with bacon fat over medium-high heat and add the 1 tablespoon butter. When the foaming subsides, add the onion, celery, and leeks and cook until fragrant and softened, 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with flour, then whisk in the reserved oyster poaching liquid. Simmer over medium heat, continuously whisking, for 3 minutes. Add the milk, cream, and herb and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until thickened and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
• When the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, remove it from the heat and keep warm. Toast the bread; spread with softened butter and place it on a platter or individual plates. Stir the oysters into the sauce and warm through, over low heat. To serve, spoon the oysters over the toast and sprinkle with bacon. Top with green onions or chives, if desired.
• I've eaten oysters all over the world. When it comes to slurping them raw, from the half shell, I love oysters from the Pacific (like the Japanese varieties), because they taste briny, like the ocean. But when it comes to cooking, nothing beats Louisiana oysters. They come from the brackish waters where the salt water of the Gulf mingles with the fresh water of the bayou and rivers, so they have a milder flavor that blends better with other ingredients. Because Louisiana oysters are larger, they're less likely to overcook in a poaching pan. I may be biased, but I definitely think they're the most versatile oysters in the kitchen. For my favorite sources, see p. 384.