 In partnership with the Martha's Vineyard Oyster Fest, Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group, MV Vintage Wine, Island Chefs and fabulous home cooks, we have curated a list of recipes for you to try when you cook oysters at home! Want to learn to shuck? Check out our new how-to starring Island Oyster Farmers who teach us how to shuck like a local. Let us know how your oyster dish turns out by tagging #mvoysterfest and #ffslife #eatmoreoysters ----- > mmmm, get hungry! RECIPES FROM AROUND THE ISLAND  Katama Bay Oysters with Spinach and Bacon Chef, Cookbook Author, former Restaurant Owner and TV producer, Editor of @EdibleVineyard, Entrepreneur, Real Estate Agent @pointbrealty and all around incredible Island gal--> Tina Miller should make you jealous she holds all of these titles and can whip up an incredible meal with a smile. Thank you Tina @tmillervineyard Here, she shares one of her classic recipes from her cookbook Vineyard Harvest. Serves 6
Preheat the broiler. Broil oysters on a cookie sheet, flat side down, and cook until they open (about two or three minutes). Remove from heat. On the stovetop, melt butter, add the shallots and cook gently over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and then spinach. Keep the spinach moving. As soon as the spinach was wilted, remove the pan from the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top each opened oyster with about 1 tablespoon of the mixture, then place a piece of bacon on top. Put into the oven and broil for 4-5 minutes on the second rack down from the top of your oven. Make sure they don't brown too much... ENJOY! ~~~~~  Oysters with a Sambal Twist The Fish House, the fresh fish/meat and a take-away market, is the brainchild of Shane Laderoute, Tyler Gibson and, Everette Whiting. Founded to support local fishermen and small farm meat producers, the trio's new and growing menu of to-go foods makes their shop near the airport a must. They also offer catering for groups of all sizes. Thank you, @thefishhousemv. There are a few specialty ingredients easily found at LeRoux or on Amazon - worth the buy as you will be making these every week :). 1 C. unsalted butter room temp. 1 TB Sambal (Chili Garlic Sauce avail at Cronig's Market or on Amazon) 1 TB Gochujang 1 TB Lemon Juice 1 C. Grated Gruyere Cheese 18 Shucked Oysters, liquor (liquid) poured off *optional* green onions, shallots or leeks for garnish Mix Butter, sambal, gochujang, and, lemon juice together until combined. Shuck oysters OR put the oysters in the oven on a cookie sheet on broil or directly on a grill, flat side down, and cook until they open (about two or three minutes). Remove them from the heat. Top oysters with roughly 1 tsp. of the butter mixture. Cover with gruyere cheese. Broil about 3 minutes until cheese is melted. For garnish, fry shaved green onions, shallots or leeks and, place on a cooked oyster. ~~~~~  Oyster Fritters The always inspiring @jenny.devivo the infamous Island lunch lady that has been challenging our kids to #thinkoutsidethelunchbox. When not in the kitchen, she is traveling around the country with fellow Islander @nisawebster on @lunchladiesfoodtruck on The Great Food Truck Race Season 12 on @foodnetwork w/ @tylerflorence. Right now (literally), she is making meals for kids behind a mask - delivering the same fantastic quality, locally based food she can to families #stayingathome . Serves 8
Broil oysters in the oven on a cookie sheet or put directly on a grill, flat side down, and cook until they open (about two or three minutes). Remove from heat. Heat about 1 to 2 inches of oil in a deep heavy skillet to 365 F. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a small bowl. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl, and blend well. Add the egg and milk mixture, and blend until smooth. Stir the chopped oysters into the batter. Drop a spoonful of the batter into the hot oil, cooking in batches and turning to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and your favorite remoulade dipping sauce. ~~~~~  Grilled Oysters with Chervil Butter Thanks to Susie Middleton, editor of Cook the Vineyard, we are sharing this quick lovely oyster recipe by Chef Chris Fischer as an alternative to raw oysters on the half shell. A quick turn on the grill, basted with an herb-flavored butter, and your guests will salute you. Note: A cast iron grill pan from LeRoux makes the grilling extra easy and captures all the juices. Serves 4 to 6
Get a grill very hot and place the oysters cupped side down on the grill. Grill for about 2 or 3 minutes or until they have popped open and begun poaching in their own liquor. Using tongs, remove them from the grill so they’re cool enough to handle. In a small saucepan, heat butter, then add chervil and the juice of one lemon. Once melted, set aside. With a sharp paring knife, open the oysters, cutting the meat-free from their shells, then discard the top shells and place the cooked oysters back in the bottom shells. Once all are opened, place them back onto grill. Carefully spoon butter mixture onto each oyster and heat enough for the butter to begin to bubble. Remove from the grill, allow to cool for two minutes (if you serve them right away, you will have some burned lips), and serve in the shells alongside wedges of lemon. This recipe was published with the article, Farm-Fresh Greenhouse Dinners. ~~~~~  Oyster Chowder For this recipe by one of our favorite New York Times Food editors Amanda Hesser, we have used oyster, clams, quahog's and conch (available at The Fish House). If you do score some conch, you might want to get some extra and try Chef Deon's Conch Burgers (more on these later :). Tip: If you are looking for bulk oysters to ensure you have enough meat for this dish, ask a farmer if they have misshapen oysters they would sell at wholesale. Serves 4
PREPARATION
Fried Oyster Po Boys This famous New Orleans sandwich specialty translates perfectly to our Island locale, plentiful with oysters. These crispy cornmeal-coated oysters with jazzed-up mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato are served like mini burgers. In New Orleans, po’ boy makers use a soft-crusted French bread. You can use this recipe to make 4 regular sized po’ boys for lunch or dinner, or 8 small ones for an appetizer. Full recipe HERE. ~~~~~ Oysters Rockefeller This classic recipe is so easy and de-li-cious, you'll be sure to include them on your afternoon cocktail menu. (adapted by Nevette from Tyler Florence @ Food Network) Serves 12
Mignonette Sauce (great for raw oysters as well!)
Directions For the oysters: Melt butter in a skillet. Saute the garlic for 2 minutes to infuse the butter. Place the bread crumbs in a mixing bowl and add half the garlic butter, set aside. To the remaining garlic butter in the skillet, add shallots and spinach, cook for 3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper, add a dash of red pepper sauce. Allow the mixture to cook down for a few minutes. Finish off the bread crumbs by mixing in olive oil, Parmesan, season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a spoonful of the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle a baking pan amply with rock salt. Arrange the oysters in the salt to steady them. Bake in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Serve with lemon wedges and red pepper sauce. For the sauce: In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour before serving with oysters. Yield: 3/4 cup Want to learn to shuck? Check out our new video starring Martha's Vineyard Oyster Farmers sharing their expert tips on how to shuck an oyster. Tag us at #ffslife and #mvoysterfest when you conquer your first bivalve.
0 Comments
 Have you ever cooked venison? For us, it's food that we imagine as part of a King's feast. Off-Island (we are told) its a foodies luxury menu item. Here on Island, it's a winter staple. Part population control and part tradition, hunters stock multiple freezers full, share fresh cuts with neighbors and gift to those in need. In search of the perfect venison recipe, I turned to Brian Athearn, a local businessman, passionate hunter, and new president of the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society. If you can't find venison via a local hunter - get in touch, we might be able to hook you up :).
Brian Athearn's Venison Stew. · 2-4 tablespoons olive oil for browning · 2 pounds venison stew meat · 2 lb Venison burger · 3 large onions, coarsely chopped · 4 garlic cloves, crushed · 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce · 2 tablespoons of A1 steak Sauce · 1 bay leaf · 1 teaspoon dried oregano · 1 tablespoon salt · 1 teaspoon pepper · 3 cups water · 5 potatoes, peeled and quartered · 2 Lbs of diced Parsnips · 1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces · I bag frozen peas · 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or a few tblsp corn starch) · 1/4 cup cold water · I use one container of venison Demi-Glace in each batch that we make from the bones (or you can use a little Hoisin sauce) Note: He uses a crock pot most of the time or a pressure cooker. So translate to dumping into cooker for that option. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or thick bottom pot. Brown meat. You can remove the meat and deglaze the bottom with a half cup of red wine. Add onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper and water. Simmer, covered, 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is tender. Add potatoes and carrots and parsnips. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Mix flour and cold water; stir into stew ( you can use arrow root as well for gluten free). Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add browning sauce if desired. Add peas a the last minute and stir. Remove bay leaf. Enjoy! Let us know how your stew turns out - will you share your pictures on Facebook?  photo credit: Grant Butler Not a day goes by where we’re not inspired by the food and culture of our little Island. We are lucky enough to have an abundance of it all within the confines of our 20x9 rock. A connection to farm, field and sea is weaved into the island lifestyle as has been the tradition here for hundreds of years. It can make an accidental foodie out of almost anyone. Ever had a sea bean? Foraged from the shore, these strange but highly nutritious thin bright green stalks have a salty flavor and crunchy texture available for just a couple of weeks in June, Island chefs love to use them when they are in season and can be seen scooping them up on the water’s edge on their way to the kitchen. It’s not out of the ordinary for a friend to stop by for a quick hello with a freshly caught bluefish in the back of their truck. Or a big bouquet of lilacs from their yard; or a bag full of foraged watercress; or a basket of colorful eggs...does everyone have chickens here?! By default, what America deems 'fast food' is absent from our everyday. Dairy Queen made its way here almost 25 years ago and seemed to stay, McDonald's tried to put their golden arches where wooden boat builders Gannon & Benjamin have a shop on the shore (they were unanimously thrown out) and we hear there was a Subway once upon a time in Oak Bluffs. Yes, there is fried chicken at Stop & Shop, hot donuts at Back Door Donuts and a plethora of burgers and fries at the summer take out joints - but the reality if it weren’t for trips off island, kids wouldn’t know what a Happy Meal was. We live in a community that supports all things Island grown, where even fast food is good food, and where our kids grow up with an appreciation for our local bounties, often growing, catching and eating the whole foods that surround us. Increasingly so - food they eat in school is locally sourced too. A couple of weeks ago, students at the West Tisbury School hosted Island fisherman and shellfish growers so students could meet the folks who catch the fish that they’ve been eating for lunch on Fish Fridays. This July, Island Grown Initiative is launching a mobile farmer’s market. With food equity in mind, the mobile market plans to bring affordable produce to Island neighborhoods that may not have access to or be able to afford the farmer’s market. SNAP benefits will be accepted as well. Besides being sustainable and community-minded, eating locally is also incredible nutritious. Talk to any local farmer or fisherman or food creator and the conversation always includes information about the vitamins and minerals that make up what they are producing. Scouting new collaborators, we got to meet the fabulous fellas of Martha’s Vineyard Mycological’s shiitake farm last month. In the woods of Chilmark, Tucker shared with us some incredible information about log-grown wild shiitakes. Not only do they contain high levels of protein and immune boosting agents selenium, potassium and vitamins B6 and B12, but he said they also contain immense amounts of lentinan, which supports cholesterol reduction, immune system enhancement and tumor suppression through T-cell boosting properties. So we were happy to munch on a couple of meaty shiitakes we plucked off the logs on their farm. We even passed some wild fiddlehead ferns on the way out! Soothing medicinal teas and tonics can be found across the island. Morning Glory Farm has Aqua ViTea kombucha from Vermont on tap this year, so you can fill a bottle or a growler of the raw, organic kombucha flavors including blood orange, hibiscus ginger lime and turmeric. Not Your Sugar Mamas whips up dairy-free anti-inflammatory turmeric lattes at their shop in Vineyard Haven. Friends share nettle tea to help battle seasonal allergies. And many people make their own fire cider, especially during the cold season. And kelp! Our friends and co-collaborators at Cottage City Oysters started growing the sustainable superfood in Lagoon Pond this winter. With its high vitamin and mineral content (it has more calcium than kale), antioxidant properties and its ability to be consumed in many forms, kelp is emerging as the next big food trend. Along with sea beans and shiitakes, kelp is making its way onto island menus as well. As we get ready for summer we are so looking forward to the experiences we will have - shopping for fresh veggies and flowers at local farmstands, indulging in long sunny beach days, hosting barbeques with friends and family, eating lobsters on the docks waiting for Menemsha sunsets. And sharing our love of the island with our guests through our summer series, getting our hands dirty alongside of folks who are passionate about farm, field and sea. We can’t wait!  |
AuthorPenned by the staff of Farm. Field. Sea. and inspired by the experiences of working with Martha's Vineyard's chefs, farmers, fisherman, oyster cultivators, artisan producers and food educators. Categories
All
|
RSS Feed