Bivalve Befuddlement and a Beach Theme
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Slim Paley photo
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Slim Paley photo
We had a small dinner party a few nights ago and as the weather was so beautiful (you might have seen the sunset on a previous post) I decided to go with a beachy, predominately white and pale yellow theme for the table. Perhaps I was unconsciously distancing from the reds and greens of Christmas! Anyway, it afforded me the segue into a photo that caught my eye a few months ago and have been fixated on ever since…the amazing looking oysters below!! (what’s the connection you ask?…why do you have to be so difficult?! I’m running with a “Sea Theme” here)
So check these out- What are they?! Under the photo it just said “Liquified Oysters” Are they shooters?? Do you pop the whole thing in your mouth, or are they glass balls?! I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a food photo that has so enthralled yet repelled me, in equal measure, before. Still- A party hosted by Dom Perignon at Versailles…that must have been a grand soiree!
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photo Michel Jolyot
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Back on Planet Earth…
Photo from The Food Network
This is an old recipe that my mother used to make so often for cocktail parties. It’s great all year round, but particularly for the winter months, it’s a delicious and hearty appetizer.
Adapted from Vancouver Scalloped Oysters
serves 6-8
1qt. Fresh oysters with their juices (small ones) (1L)
1/2 cup butter (125ml)
1/2 cup flour (125ml)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup bread crumbs (50ml)
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 large garlic clove crushed
1/2 green pepper, chopped finely
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (5ml)
3/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (4ml)
1 cup Saltine cracker crumbs (250 ml)
1) cut oysters into small pieces and cook gently for 4-5 minutes in their own juices.
2) in heavy skillet melt butter, add flour and cook until the mixture is well blended and light brown.
3) Add paprika, onion, cream, breadcrumbs, garlic and green pepper and cook for aprox. 4 minutes.
4) remove from heat, add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and the cooked oysters. Mix very gently together, pour into a baking/serving dish, sprinkle with cracker crumbs and bake at 375 for aprox. 30-40 minutes. Serve hot and bubbling with thinly sliced rye bread.
Note; May be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. Leave cracker crumbs off until just before baking if making in advance. Some people like to put a layer of cracker crumbs or breadcrumbs on the bottom of the lightly buttered casserole dish as well.
Enjoy!
Google photo
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Stumble It! 
The table looks beautiful. The “liquid oysters” are very strange. It looks like they injected a liquid into the oysters, what would it be, vodka? Are they “oyster shots”? Tres bizarre!
lovely table. i have been published with entertaining and design, so cool!
Amazing little items those oystery things, lovely photo too, looks almost like a necklace from Chaumet! I will be sticking with Belon however, whatEVER they are, just a tad too creepy and eyebally for me and the coloration does not contribute anything encouraging either. Would LOVE to know what exactly they are!
Your table setting a la’ Beach is sooo perfect. I am expecting nothing less. You sure know your themes and your style.
I love oysters also, almost any way. Like Gaj, would love to know exactly what they are. Men would love the scalloped oyster dish watching the Sunday game. I’d love it just about any time. Once again thanks Slim.
The liquified oysters are (to my semi-professionally trained foodie eye!) a molecular gastronomy creation. Basically, you mix an acidic liquid with chemicals and then drop them into another chemical solution. This will create a skin around the liquid, which when introduced to the heat in your mouth, makes spheres that pop in your mouth like caviar.
We had a thoroughly entertaining and delicious molecular gastronomy experience in Tokyo last July, including “caviar” made just as you describe (I think!) that was actually just humble carrots. (see July post “What’s Great about Japan”
Thanks for that, but ew, almost sorry I asked. Caviar is a different story!
Just looking at the ingredients and directions, I can tell this is a wonderful recipe. Can’t wait to try it. Your table is spectacular. I once attended a rehersal dinner in the Florida keys and they had a table much like this on the beach. There were small fishbowls with gold fish spaced out every 12 inches or so and it looked divine.
I can only stand oysters more au gratin. “Gasp” coming from you and some of your readers—so thanks for the recipe!!!!!………I love your table scape and the need to move away from the holiday colors. Hello——-New Year!
What a BEAUTIFUL table – I’m sure it was a lovely dinner party. Thanks for sharing the delicious looking recipe!
I think those are oyster eyeballs? Is someone pulling your leg in the hopes you will try them? That’s not possible is it? Sorry, that’s 3 questions.
I love love love oysters. Freshly shucked with a bit of lemon and I’m happy. I just had to google the oyster eyeballs and here is what I found….
Little Bombs Of Oysters A La Versailles Petites Bombes D’hutires A La Versailles
Line some little bomb moulds thinly with aspic jelly and garnish them at the tops with cut truffle, set this with aspic jelly and reline the moulds with aspic cream; let this set, then fill up with a puree o f oysters prepared as below, and put the moulds aside on ice till the contents are set; dip each mould into hot water and turn out the bombs on to an entree or flat dish, garnish with a little finely-chopped aspic jelly, and serve for an entree for dinner or luncheon or any cold service.
Puree For Bombs Of Oysters
For six to eight moulds take one and a half dozen bearded sauce oysters, and pound them till smooth with four well-washed and boned anchovies. Take one and a half gills of the s 2 oyster liquor, strain it and mix with it a quarter-pint of good flavoured light stock in which a quarter of an ounce of Marshall’s gelatine has been dissolved, a wineglassful of sherry, the juice of a lemon, a dust of coralline pepper, a teaspoonful of Liebig Company’s Extract of Meat; mix these together, then rub the whole through a clean tammy cloth slightly warm, add a quarter of a pint of stiffly-whipped cream, and use.
What exactly is “Extract of Meat” made from? I’m thinking I don’t really want to know…..
Mama’s Scalloped Oysters look wonderful however. That one I will try!
Wow, those oysters bombs are sounding worse and worse! Best appreciated photographically I will assume. Great research however!
I love scalloped oysters!!! I think your recipe is one of the best I’ve seen–going to try it this week. The table is gorgeous.
Thanks for sharing.
i love your flatware. it’s nice and slim, no pun intended. seriously, i hate eating with big, clunky utensils. have you ever gone somewhere and picked up a giant fork with thick tines and thought, “are they serious? i’m supposed to fit this into my mouth, even just the tip? i’m not mick jagger”.
…and i hate flatware with fussy designs! *recent obsession with flatware, china patterns, all tableware in general
Beautiful table, great post! thanks for sharing the recipe as well.
Hmm…chocolate truffle meets oyster. How decadent.
Is it possible to want summer to be here already? I am not an oyster extremist, or even an oyster eater but your mom’s recipe looks delicious. They look more like calamari. As far as those Ed Wood Oysters…wow…those could give me nightmares.
“They’ve got Marty Feldman Eyes…”
I’ve seen quite a few table settings of late, and yours is better than 99% of what I’ve seen from professional designers. I forget if you design for a living, but if not, perhaps you should. It’s beautiful.
I have enjoyed your “Mom’s” SCALLOPED OYSTERS many times. (and I don’t even like oysters) They are delicious. I enjoy your blog, so funny and interesting. Look foward to more great items. Bev
Love the Table Slim! Does that Lobster look like a Dragon or is it just me?