Infusing Raw Oysters
Posted on March 7, 2009, under Food.
Oyster photo by Swamibu
In an earlier post, I wrote about the possibility of seasoning your produce as it grows. Researchers added salt to the typical nutrient bath used to grow hydroponic tomatoes, and the mature tomatoes retained the flavor of the salt they grew in.
A new post by chadzilla points to a similar technique, flavoring oysters while they’re still alive. Live oysters feed by filtering the water around them for nutrients, at a rate of up to 3 gallons an hour. Because of this, the specific makeup of the brine they live in impacts the flavor of the oyster. Chad infused his oysters with pickle brine, then served them raw with thin vacuum pickled cucumber slices and bacon powder, using a technique inspired by Dave Arnold and Nils Noren of the French Culinary Institute. Here’s their recipe, from StarChefs:
Carrot and Cardamom-Infused Oysters with Lime Crème Fraiche
Chefs Dave Arnold and Nils Noren of The French Culinary Institute – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs.comYield: 8 Servings
Ingredients
Oysters:
• 5 liters freshly squeezed carrot juice, skimmed and strained
• 130 grams aquarium salt*
• 3 grams finely ground cardamom
• 24 Long Island or North oystersLime Crème Fraiche:
• 250 grams crème fraiche
• ½ gram xantham gum
• 20 grams strained lime juice
• Zest of 1 lime
• Salt and pepperTo Assemble and Serve:
• Chopped chives*preferably Instant Ocean brand
Method
For the Oysters:
Use a high shear blender to combine carrot juice, aquarium salt, and cardamom to a particle size of less than 10 microns. Wash oysters (but do not shuck!) and lay them right-side up in a container big enough to hold all oysters and liquid. Pour carrot-cardamom mixture over oysters and let sit at a temperature between 50 deg. F and 70 deg. F, out of light, for 2 hours. Do not move or disturb oysters during this time or they will not eat the surrounding liquid.For Lime Crème Fraîche:
Whisk together crème fraîche, xantham, gum, lime juice, and zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.To Assemble and Serve:
Remove oysters from carrot bath and rinse. Shuck oysters and use only those that have ingested carrot liquid for service. Top with mini-quenelle of lime crème fraîche and garnish with chopped chives.
Tags: cardamom, carrot, dave arnold, fci, infusion, lime, oyster