Oyster Recipes

This is an authentic family recipe that my mother taught me in 1950 in New Orleans. It makes a great dinner party main dish. Like chinese food, it is long on chopping and assembling, but goes together and cooks rather quickly.

Oysters Mosca: chopped fresh oysters cooked down with garlic, scallions, lemon, and Romano cheese, then spooned into puff pastry shells. The classic Italian-Creole New Orleans appetizer from the legendary Mosca's restaurant.

Cajun-style oyster fritters with 48 butter-sauteed oysters in a spiced batter of black pepper, white pepper, hot sauce, and oregano. Fried golden in peanut oil.

Northwest seafood cioppino simmers white fish, shrimp, and oysters in a tomato-herb broth with onions, garlic, and basil. Pacific Northwest take on the Italian-American fisherman's stew.

Fresh tomato salsa with jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, and lime. Basically classic pico de gallo with a sharp Mexican kick, ready blender-free in about 15 minutes.

Oysters Souvenir de Tahaa breads and pan-fries fresh-shucked oysters, then plates them around a silky cream-of-shallots sauce reduced with white wine, lemon and oyster liquor.

Oysters Veracruz: Mexican-style baked oysters topped with chipotle sauce and melted quesadilla cheese. A spicy, smoky twist on classic baked oyster appetizers.

Creamy Cajun stew loaded with shucked oysters and bay scallops in a spiced half-and-half broth with sherry, Worcestershire, and fresh herbs. Topped with croutons for a rich, warming bowl.