While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it’s not often we hear an oyster being effusively described as pretty. Nor do we often hear praise for the positive environmental impacts oysters have on our waterways. But these humble molluscs are frequently heralded as one of the most prized seafoods, and many a food writer has waxed lyrical about their incredible flavour.
Long considered a luxury food and featured on menus in top restaurants, oysters have, thankfully, become more accessible to the average Aussie. And with the added bonus of coming packed full of health benefits, cooking with oysters should be a part of everyone’s culinary repertoire!
Cooking with oysters is something Australia’s Oyster Coast would like to encourage. Not only for the inherent nutritional attributes of the oyster, but also to elevate the quality and accessibility of the product for the end consumer.
AOC is a commercial cohort of various actors that play a part in the life cycle of the oyster – from the farm to the plate. Their collective goal is to produce consistently better oysters. They are achieving this vision by building on a foundation of best practice methods which underpin every stage of an oyster’s journey. From the tiniest spat through to plump, creamy table oysters, the AOC mission is to continue raising the bar to improve standards and get more Australians enjoying oysters as a regular part of their diets.
You can join the growing number of Australian oyster lovers right now! AOC brand Appellation Oysters are already super easy to include in your cooking. They are a favourite with local chefs who create simple recipes combining complimentary textures and flavours to demonstrate the versatility of oysters. They have shared these easy recipes for you to try at home. Get cooking and impress your family and friends!
Oysters Al Natural served with soda bread and anchovy butter
INGREDIENTS
- 6 freshly shucked Appellation Wagonga oysters
- Home baked soda bread or a store-bought equivalent – dark rye works very well
Anchovy butter
- 1 tin or 25g of the fanciest anchovies you can source, finely chopped
- 100g unsalted butter, at room temp
Zest and juice of half a medium lemon
METHOD
- Combine ingredients by hand or with a blender for a lighter end product. Both are delicious.
- Serve oysters with fresh baked bread spread generously with anchovy butter.
Tempura Oysters seved with Golden Kelp Vinegar and fresh lemon
INGREDIENTS
- 12 freshly shucked Appellation Wagonga oysters
- Splash of Golden Kelp Vinegar to dip
- Finely chopped chives or tarragon if on hand
- Fresh lemon wedges to serve
- 250ml neutral oil for frying (peanut or canola oil)
Batter
- 50g cornflour plus a little extra for dusting oysters
- 4g bi carb soda
- 80g ice cold soda water*
METHOD
- Heat oil to 165c and hold temp.
- Combine all batter ingredients in one bowl starting with dry ingredients. A lumpy mixture is fine, do not over mix.
- Drain and dust oyster meat in extra cornflour (retain shells for serving).
- Once oil is up to 165c remove oysters from cornflour and gently shake off excess, before placing 3 at a time in batter mixture.
- Briefly allow excess batter to run off oyster meat before delicately placing in hot oil. Fry for 1 minute and repeat for remaining oysters.
*Hot tip- substitute your favourite light beer from Big Niles Brewing Co or Broulee Brewhouse for a richer flavour.
Love food? Follow the Eurobodalla Food Trail!
