Recipe From The New Orleans Menu Daily

Oysters Amandine

Now that we have oysters back in the market, many of us can't get enough of them. This is almost, but not exactly, oysters done in the style of trout amandine. The sauce has a more pronounced lemon flavor than I would use for trout. There's also a little garlic in there. The sauce is beurre noir--the browned butter used for trout meuniere in the French (and Galatoire's) style. The almonds cook a little while in the sauce, then come out, leaving almond-flavored butter.

1 cup flour
1 tsp. salt-free Creole seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 cloves garlic, sliced to look like almonds
2 Tbs. lemon juice, strained
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
Dash Tabasco
4 dozen oysters
Peanut oil for frying

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When it begins to bubble, add the almonds and garlic. Cook until the almonds barely begin to brown, then remove them and the garlic quickly with a slotted spoon, draining the excess butter. Place them on a pan in a warm oven.

2. Lower the heat and let the butter continue cooking until the solids at the bottom begin to brown. Carefully add the lemon juice, Worcestershire, and Tabasco, which may make the pan foam up briefly. Remove from heat.

3. Heat the peanut oil to 375 degrees. Dredge the oysters through the remaining seasoned flour in a wide bowl. Shake off the excess flour. Fry the oysters until golden brown and drain.

4. Place the oysters on warm plates. Nap with the sauce and top with the toasted almonds. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves four to six.

Revised 3/29/08


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