Oysters with Salicornia Mignonette

|
By
|
Comments are off for this post

It’s always so hard to see summer go. If you’ve been keeping up with me on Insta, you know that it was a crazy whirlwind couple of months spent in the sun and on the water. Our “Flat Bottomed Girl” got quite a few more nautical miles under her belt,  and I cooked and shared all kinds of goodness with friends (and strangers!) out at our local hangout of Little Beach, on neighboring Assateague Island.

Boatside Bistro was in full effect, y’all! I find myself cooking on the boat more than I do in my kitchen from the months of May – September.  I think the pinnacle was catching fish offshore, cleaning and fileting them on the boat, then turning into fish tacos and enjoying on the beach. However, we had alot of great meals out there this season, and which of them was the best is still a topic of debate…

At any rate, the days have finally started to turn brisk. And while we must say goodbye to some things that fill our heart and soul, there are always others to look forward to. Like watching the vibrant green marsh fade into a rich gold hue – with the occasional burst of salicornia in the mix. It’s an edible plant that grows in abundance in our marshes here on the island, appearing green in the summer months and then turning a vibrant red hue in autumn. It’s crunchy, and briny, and tastes of the sea. Not to mention it’s beautiful!

I have fun harvesting it and coming up with new ideas how to use it. Vodka infusion is a favorite (can you say pickle shot, y’all?), adding it to salads, or chopping and adding to pimento cheese. A few weeks ago I helped harvest a haul to brew a stout with at Black Narrows Brewing, which was absolutely delicious!

It just so happened that I had a bunch of beans after the beer release at the brewery, which I then took to the Chincoteague Oyster Festival with me the next day – and whipped up this super simple salicornia mignonette…

A “mignonette” is just fancy French term for a vinegar sauce that is traditionally served with oysters. I used a red wine vinegar, some chopped shallot, and threw in some chopped salicornia. Talk about tasting the “salt life” – was a hit all around. And I felt so fancy coming up with it!

Which brings me to something else we have to look forward to in the fall and winter months – oyster season! What do you guys look forward to the most?

Oysters with Salicornia Mignonette

1 dozen oysters, on the half shell
crushed ice
lemon wedges

For the mignonette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely minced
2 Tbsp chopped salicornia (about 15 “bean” stalks)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt

For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin. Mix to combine. Let sit for 20 minutes to let the flavors mingle and meld together.

Meanwhile, place the crushed ice in the bottom of a shallow serving dish. Carefully lay the oysters on top of the ice for serving.

Serve the mignonette alongside the oysters with the lemon wedges.

Hot Pizza Dip

|
By
|
1 comment

With Super Bowl Sunday coming up this weekend, I thought it was only pertinent that I share one of my favorite easy appetizers. Honestly, it’s probably my favorite appetizer. Ever. During football season I probably make it close to every weekend. For years now.

It’s all of your favorite things about pizza, in a creamy dip form, that is approximately one million times easier than making traditional pizza. The recipe is easily scaled up, making it convenient to feed a large crowd. I also love that it is layered, and not mixed together – making for a nice presentation.

As far as toppings go, you can certainly get creative. But, I like to stick with classic options – pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, green peppers, red onion (they, along with the peppers, lend a  lovely little crunch). I serve with store-bought pizza crust that I’ve cut into bite size pieces, but it’s equally good on crackers if you don’t have that on-hand.

Add this to your line-up this weekend, you won’t regret it!

Hot Pizza Dip

1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 mushroom, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mini-pepperoni (or quarter regular sized)
2 Tbsp black olives, sliced
2 Tbsp green peppers, finely diced
2 Tbsp red onion, finely diced
1 tsp dried oregano
store-bought pizza crust (like Boboli), cut into bite-size pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a 9-inch pie plate, spread the cream cheese evenly over the bottom of the plate. Spread pizza sauce on top of cream cheese. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Place mushroomms, pepperoni, and olives evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle the peppers, onions, and oregano on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve with warmed pizza crust pieces or crackers.

Source: adapted from Taste of Home

Buffalo Fried Oysters

|
By
|
Comments are off for this post
Buffalo Fried Oysters

Moving into 2019, getting more locally-centric recipes up on the blog is definitely on my agenda. And here on Chincoteague Island, it really doesn’t get any more locally-centric than the Chincoteague oyster, does it?

Renowned for it’s saltiness – you’ll find them gracing the menu at top-tier oyster bars all over the country. And, you can find them gracing the menu at the Davis table pretty often as well. Sometimes we get lucky and a waterman friend has a surplus, gifting us with a peck or two. Or, I scoot down the street to Gary Howard Seafood, where they’ve always got fresh oysters (along with lots of other great seafood) at a very reasonable price. Either way, they’re easy to come by this time of year here on our little island – even when nothing else is!

Of course they’re wonderful to eat on the half, or a fancier application like Oysters Rockefeller is always a hit. But, hard pressed, I’d say “single-fried” is our favorite way to enjoy them. This recipe adds a spicy twist to that local standard, which would be ideal for those gaming get-togethers coming up in the next couple of weeks!

Buffalo Fried Oysters

24 oysters, shucked (scrub and save shells for serving)
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp Old Bay
1 tsp kosher salt
vegetable oil (for frying)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup hot sauce
2 Tbsp blue cheese (I used feta)
scallions, sliced (for garnish)

Line a baking sheet with wax paper or aluminum foil. Line another baking sheet with paper towels. Set both aside.

Combine cornmeal, flour, Old Bay and salt in a shallow dish (I use a pie plate) and mix well to combine. Dredge oysters well in flour mixture, pressing on the sides to get a good coating. Place oysters onto baking sheet with wax paper and repeat process with remaining oysters.

Place enough vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet to go up about 1-inch of pan. Heat to 350 degrees over medium-high heat. Drop oysters into the hot oil, about 8 at a time, until golden brown on both sides – turning occasionally. Remove from oil and place on the paper towel lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining oysters.

While oil is heating up prepare your Buffalo sauce by whisking the butter and hot sauce together well until combined. Toss the hot oysters with the sauce, and place each fried oyster into a shell for serving. Sprinkle with the blue cheese and scallions, and serve immediately.

Pretzel Bites with Cheddar Beer Sauce

|
By
|
2 comments

One of my favorite things in this world is a soft chewy pretzel. Sadly, most of the pretzels you find commercially these days are just sub-par excuses for what a pretzel should be – doughy twists of sadness. Sure, they’re edible dunked in mustard or cheese sauce, but I’m trying to live my best life y’all. Life is too short to eat shitty pretzels.

I’d made pretzel buns a few years ago, and they were surprisingly easy. Not to mention that they turned out absolutely delicious, and gorgeous. I was worried about the whole boiling process, but it was no big thing  – it’s as easy as cooking pasta.

These pretzel bites use the same process. There isn’t much rising time for the dough, so they can be made in a relatively short timeframe – perfect for snacking/munching/party purposes. They’re addicting, and you can’t help but eat “just one more”.

Then, there’s the sauce. Beer and cheese are awesome together to begin with, but in liquid form – kicked up with a little mustard and Old Bay? Pure heaven in a bowl. Do yourself a favor and pick up a six-pack on your way home one night soon, make these pretzels, and enjoy someone’s company – or Netflix and your couch. No judgement.

Pretzel Bites with Cheddar Beer Sauce

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 TBsp light brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp butter, melted
3 3/4 – 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour + additional for dusting
1/2 cup baking soda
1 large egg, beaten
coarse sea salt for sprinkling

For the sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk, divided
1/2 cup beer (lager or ale)
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp Old Bay
2 tsp hot sauce
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Combine warm water and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Let sit 5 minutes. Add salt, brown sugar, and melted butter, whisk to combine. Add 3 cups of flour and mix on low for about 30 seconds, until a very shaggy dough forms. Switch to the dough hook, and slowly add up to 1 cup of additional flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Dough should spring back when poked.

Lightly flour your counter and turn dough out onto it. Knead dough for about 3 minutes until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and place into a large oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm area for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.  Fill a large dutch oven or pot with water and the baking soda, and bring to a boil over high heat while you’re prepping the pretzel bites.

With a sharp knife, cut ball of dough into 6 sections. Roll the dough into six 20-inch long ropes. Cut the rope into 1.5 inch pieces to make bites. Drop 10 pretzel bites into the baking soda/water solution and let cook for 20 seconds. Remove with a round mesh skimmer and place onto the prepared baking sheet, taking care to keep them separated on the sheet. Repeat with remaining bites.

Brush beaten egg over each pretzel bite. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place on serving dish along with sauce.

While pretzels are baking, make the sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan, add in the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly add the beer and 1/2 cup milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Add the dijon, salt, Old Bay, and hot sauce. Then add cheese, a handful at a time – whisking constantly until melted and combined. If sauce seems thick, add the remaining milk to get the consistency you’d like.

Pretzel bites can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Source: adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction