Many people question why should they eat Oysters. Surely the simple answer is why not, because they are one of the great treasures of the sea. Nowadays they are regarded as somewhat of a specialist seafood, at the luxury end of the market.
However in comparatively recent times they have been used as a staple filler in many dishes, such as the British dish of Lancashire Hotpot. Late in the19th century barges in the New York waterways would hold around 6,000,000 Oysters at any time, to be mainly consumed by the lower working classes. Lucky people. Partly because of the pollution of coastal waters, and over fishing, the abundance of supplies has diminished. However for over a hundred years they have been farmed in safe waterway to give fanatics available supplies.
The benefits of eating Oysters
The first and most important one is that they taste wonderful. Eaten quite simply with a squeeze of lemon, a dash of chilli sauce or a small amount of shallot vinegar,the taste is sublime. They are also rich in minerals that are needed as part of our Recommended Daily Intake of minerals and vitamins, such as Zinc, Iron, Calcium and Selenium along with vitamins A and B12. For the calorie conscious they are also very low in calories, on average a dozen only containing 110 cals.
They are also claimed to have aphrodisiac properties because they are rich in amino acids which trigger the levels of sex hormones, along with their Zinc content which influences testosterone levels. Unfortunately there is not much documented medical research to identify how many dozens of Oysters need to be consumed to have any major impact to assess their properties as an aphrodisiac.
The range of choices for buying and eating Oysters
Throughout the world there is a wide range of different types that include Belon, Eastern, Olympia, Pacific, Rock and Wellfleet. Like fine wine they all have their own unique flavours from sweet to salty, and earthy to melon. But all species have a crisp texture on the palate. Kept refrigerated in 100% humidity will keep them alive for up to two weeks, which is much longer than most shellfish. But do not keep them in water, and make certain that there are kept level and that the shells close tightly if tapped. Now that Oyster farming is fairly common throughout the world, fresh Oysters can be obtained all through the year. The way most people prefer to eat them is served raw on ice with lemon wedges, chilli sauce or shallot vinegar. However they can be smoked, poached, baked, deep fried, pickle and steamed.
Two versions to served cooked are below. One from North America and one from Great Britain
Oysters Kilpatrick - from the UK
You will need a dozen opened Oysters, 3 slices of rind less smoked back bacon thinly sliced, 2tbsp of fine breadcrumbs, 4 tbsp of double cream, 1 tbsp of Worcester sauce and to garnish some chunks of lemon.
Fry the bacon until it becomes crispy, add the other ingredients and warm. Top the opened Oysters with equal amounts and grill until brown.
Oysters Rockefeller - from the USA
The ingredients you will need are a dozen Oysters, 75g butter, a small onion finely diced, 2 tbsp parsley chopped, 100g of fresh spinach, 50g of fine breadcrumbs. Soften the onion in the melted butter, add the other ingredients to warm. Top the Oysters with the mix, and grill until brown. Serve with lemon wedges. They would look great on a
However in comparatively recent times they have been used as a staple filler in many dishes, such as the British dish of Lancashire Hotpot. Late in the19th century barges in the New York waterways would hold around 6,000,000 Oysters at any time, to be mainly consumed by the lower working classes. Lucky people. Partly because of the pollution of coastal waters, and over fishing, the abundance of supplies has diminished. However for over a hundred years they have been farmed in safe waterway to give fanatics available supplies.
The benefits of eating Oysters
The first and most important one is that they taste wonderful. Eaten quite simply with a squeeze of lemon, a dash of chilli sauce or a small amount of shallot vinegar,the taste is sublime. They are also rich in minerals that are needed as part of our Recommended Daily Intake of minerals and vitamins, such as Zinc, Iron, Calcium and Selenium along with vitamins A and B12. For the calorie conscious they are also very low in calories, on average a dozen only containing 110 cals.
They are also claimed to have aphrodisiac properties because they are rich in amino acids which trigger the levels of sex hormones, along with their Zinc content which influences testosterone levels. Unfortunately there is not much documented medical research to identify how many dozens of Oysters need to be consumed to have any major impact to assess their properties as an aphrodisiac.
The range of choices for buying and eating Oysters
Throughout the world there is a wide range of different types that include Belon, Eastern, Olympia, Pacific, Rock and Wellfleet. Like fine wine they all have their own unique flavours from sweet to salty, and earthy to melon. But all species have a crisp texture on the palate. Kept refrigerated in 100% humidity will keep them alive for up to two weeks, which is much longer than most shellfish. But do not keep them in water, and make certain that there are kept level and that the shells close tightly if tapped. Now that Oyster farming is fairly common throughout the world, fresh Oysters can be obtained all through the year. The way most people prefer to eat them is served raw on ice with lemon wedges, chilli sauce or shallot vinegar. However they can be smoked, poached, baked, deep fried, pickle and steamed.
Two versions to served cooked are below. One from North America and one from Great Britain
Oysters Kilpatrick - from the UK
You will need a dozen opened Oysters, 3 slices of rind less smoked back bacon thinly sliced, 2tbsp of fine breadcrumbs, 4 tbsp of double cream, 1 tbsp of Worcester sauce and to garnish some chunks of lemon.
Fry the bacon until it becomes crispy, add the other ingredients and warm. Top the opened Oysters with equal amounts and grill until brown.
Oysters Rockefeller - from the USA
The ingredients you will need are a dozen Oysters, 75g butter, a small onion finely diced, 2 tbsp parsley chopped, 100g of fresh spinach, 50g of fine breadcrumbs. Soften the onion in the melted butter, add the other ingredients to warm. Top the Oysters with the mix, and grill until brown. Serve with lemon wedges. They would look great on a
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