MI-SO SWEET OYSTERS | A RECIPE

So, you ordered 50 oysters and you’re down to your final 12. Consider them your “Dry-Run Dozen.” This is your perfect opportunity to experiment with flavor and texture.

Warwick and I love the earthy, yeasty flavors of miso on seafood and wanted a grilled oyster recipe that pumped in some balanced sweetness. We recently bought some pureed black garlic, which is made by aging garlic cloves in a low, humid heat for about a month. The chemistry turns the cloves black and results in a rich, caramelized, and zingy flavor.

We mixed the black garlic puree together with miso paste and butter. The result wasn’t as we’d hoped. The butter was far too salty. The miso overpowered the garlic’s subtle sweetness, which needed to be brighter and rounder.

We threw that concoction into another bowl, diluted the miso paste, and added freshly squeezed lime juice and a spoonful of honey. The rise in acid and sugar perfected this buttery, tangy topping. We lumped it over our last round of Cherrystone Aqua-Farms’ Little Bitches and put them under the grill.

The oysters oozed in rich aromas and chewy textures. It was the perfect blend of fat, salt, acidity, and sweetness plopped atop a meaty, umami-powered oyster like those Little Bitches! Think Pho, Miso, and Sweet & Sour soup in one dribbly bite.

Give it a shot and tell me what you think!

Recipe for a Dozen Oysters:

·       ½ a fresh lime, squeezed

·       1 tbspn of raw honey

·       1 tbspn of miso paste

·       ½ stick of butter (slightly warmed)

·       1 teaspoon of black garlic puree

·       Chopped dried kelp (optional)

Slightly warm butter and mix all ingredients into a bowl. Chill a few hours for best results. Shuck your oysters on the half shell and place them on a tray atop a crunched-up piece of aluminum foil. Remove butter from the fridge and place a dollop on each oyster. Broil in oven for 6-7 minutes or until you see slight browning and bubbles. Garnish with some chopped seaweed for an added earthy texture.

This recipe may look pretty crispy after it’s grilled, but it boasts delicious textures and flavors.