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Oyster Burgers

Servings 4
Author Margaret Bose Johnson

Ingredients

for the oysters:

  • 8 large fresh shucked oysters (~400gms/14 oz total)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons flour use sweet rice flour for gluten free
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • ½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs or panko crumbs gluten free, if necessary
  • 1-2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons butter

for the horseradish sauce:

  • ⅓ cup good quality mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish*
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground or cracked black pepper
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsely

for the burgers:

  • 4 hamburger buns gluten free, if necessary
  • butter
  • 4 curly lettuce leaves
  • 2 slices of sweet onion separated into rings
  • 4 apple slices, ¼-inch/.5cm thick, cut from the center of a large crisp apple (like Cosmic Crisp)

Instructions

Make the sauce first:

  • Stir together the mayonnaise, horseradish*, pepper, and parsley. Set aside.

Then prepare the oysters:

  • Lay the oysters on a double thickness of paper towel to drain, and dab the tops dry with more paper towel. Sprinkle the top sides of the oysters generously with salt and pepper.

Make a breading train:

  • Set out 3 shallow bowls. Put the flour in one bowl, the beaten egg in another, and the breadcrumbs in the third.
  • Dip each oyster in the flour and turn it to coat all sides. Shake off the excess. Repeat with all the oysters and lay them on a dinner plate, not touching. Then dip each floured oyster in the egg to coat, and then dip it in the breadcrumbs. Make sure it is completely covered in bread crumbs. Lay the crumbed oysters back on the plate, not touching.
  • In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat until bubbling. Fry half of the oysters in the skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove them to a plate, add more butter and oil if needed, and fry the second batch.
  • While the oysters are fying, lightly toast the hamburger buns and butter them. Slice the onions and apples (cut the core out of the center of the apple slices with the tip of a sharp knife) and tear the lettuce into smaller pieces.

To assemble the oyster burgers:

  • Spread some of the horseradish sauce on the bottom half of each hamburger bun. Top with lettuce slices, then a few onion rings and one slice of apple. Lay 2 of the warm fried oysters on top, drizzle with a bit more horseradish sauce, if desired, and add the top half of the hamburger bun.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

A glass of champagne (or German Sekt, a sparkling white wine) goes very nicely with these oyster burgers, as does a sparkling apple cider (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).
*Instead of the prepared horseradish, you can substitute it with: 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh horseradish + 1 tablespoon vinegar + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
Fried oysters are delicious. If you want to serve them as-is (not in a burger), you can just fry the oysters as per the instructions below and serve them with the horseradish sauce or your favourite tartar sauce or cocktail sauce. They make a great meal with french fries and a green salad.
Look for fresh shucked oysters in tubs in the seafood section of the grocery store or in a fish store.
The buns we use are the Millet & Chia Gluten Free Burger Buns from Little Northern Bakehouse. They are fantastic.