Oyster

Smooth texture, juicy Ocean-y flavor Gray shell, whitish gray meat Usually eaten (swallowed) raw, baked, or deep fried

Number of Servings:  6 Ingredients:  1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 1/3 cup diced onion 1/3 diced red bell pepper 1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms 1 tablespoon Navajo seasoning 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1/2 cup clam juice 2 oz. sherry (crème) 2 oz. white wine 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 dash Tabasco 1 tablespoon Creole mustard 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh) 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons unsalted butter salt and pepper, to taste 24 shucked Texas oysters Andouille Corn Bread Waffles 1/2 cup Masa Harina 1 1/2 cups cornmeal 1/2 cup flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup cream style corn 1/2 cup cooked andouille Instructions:  Saute onion and garlic with butter in hot skillet for 2 minutes. Add red pepper and cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until they are soft. Season with 1 tablespoon Navajo seasoning. Add flour. Cook while stirring for 2 minutes. Add wine and clam juice and cook until sauce starts to thicken (keep stirring). Incorporate cream and reduce until thick, add Worcestershire, Tabasco and Creole mustard. Strain oysters and add with sherry. Cook 3 minutes. Whisk in butter, one tablespoon at a time; add salt and pepper. Andouille Corn Bread Waffles Stir first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Stir together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Add to cornmeal mixture, stirring until dry ingredients are mixed with liquid. Bake in preheated waffle iron. To serve: Cut waffles into triangles; stack 2 pieces with oysters on top, sauce in between and sauce on top. Source: Recipe courtesy of Steve Howard, Navajo Grill and the Texas Department of Agriculture

Number of Servings:  4 Ingredients:  1 pint shucked oysters 1 tablespoon dry sherry or rice wine 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoon green onion, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon grated ginger root 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil Hot cooked rice or rice noodles for serving Instructions:  Drain oysters; pat dry and reserve. To make sauce, combine rice wine, soy sauce, tomato paste, sugar and chili powder; reserve. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add green onion and ginger; stir-fry briefly, about 15 seconds. Add oysters and stir-fry 45 seconds. Add sauce and stir-fry 3-4 minutes or until edges of oysters curl. Add sesame oil and stir-fry 30 seconds longer. Serve hot with rice or rice noodles if desired.

Number of Servings:  8 Ingredients:  8 oysters, shucked 1 teaspoon fresh, minced jalepeno pepper 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon fresh, minced ginger 1/2 cup white corn meal 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 egg yolk 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup flour 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 oz. spinach 1/4 cup chopped red onion 1 teaspoon preserved ginger 2 scallions, minced 1 clove garlic, minced salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 round nacho chips 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1/4 teaspoon curry Instructions:  Place shucked oysters in a dish with all of the above ingredients. Refrigerate about 4 hours. Place the egg yolk in a small bowl and whisk in water. Toss the oysters with flour, pat excess, dip in egg wash, then dredge oysters in corn meal and sesame seed mix. Cook oysters with butter and oil in hot sauté pan 2 minutes each side, or until golden brown. In a hot sauté pan, add butter, oil, onion, garlic, scallions, ginger and spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until spinach is done. Add salt and pepper. To assemble: Place cooked spinach on top of the nacho chips. Put cooked oysters on the spinach. Put a teaspoon of curry and mayonnaise mixture on top of each and serve. Source: Recipe Courtesy of the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Number of Servings:  4 Ingredients:  1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped red pepper 2 tablespoons flour 2 cups diced potatoes 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn 1 can (14.5 oz) vegetable broth 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried 8 ounces smoked oysters, clams, scallops, shrimp or a combination, well-drained 2 cups 2% milk Chopped fresh parsley Instructions:  Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and red pepper; cook until tender. Stir in flour until well blended. Stir in potatoes, corn, broth and thyme. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer 8-10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in shellfish and milk; continue cooking until heated through. Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley.

This rich and flavorful stuffing is a classic accompaniment to a turkey dinner. Number of Servings:  14 Ingredients:  2 tablespoons canola oil 1 small onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup) 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup) 2 garlic cloves, minced Two 3.75-ounce cans smoked oysters, drained 3 cups water or all natural chicken broth 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¾ cup chopped toasted pecans Chopped fresh parsley One 16-ounce package Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix Instructions:  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and cook until crisp-tender and the onion is translucent, about 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and oysters and cook 1 minute (you can break up the oysters a bit while stirring if you prefer smaller pieces). Add the water or broth and butter, raise the heat to high, and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the stuffing mix and pecans, and toss lightly with a fork. Garnish with parsley. Source: Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RD & Liz Weiss, MS, RD Cofounders, Meal Makeover Moms.com Nutrition Information:  230 calories; 11g fat (2g saturated, 0.3g omega-3); 510mg sodium; 28g carbohydrates; 4g fiber; 7g protein, 20% iron

Number of Servings:  6 Ingredients:  6 Texas Oysters, shucked 3 cups mixed greens 2 carrots, shredded Pineapple, Jicama, Kiwi & Habanero Chili Salsa 1 cup diced fresh pineapple 1/3 cup fresh diced jicama 1/3 skinned and diced kiwi 1 tablespoon minced shallot 3 tablespoons minced scallion 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon fine diced habanero chili 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro "Ranch 616" Mixture 1 pound all purpose flour 2 cups cornmeal 1/8 cup paprika 1/4 cup chili powder 1/8 cup cayenne pepper 1/8 cup granulated garlic 1/8 cup Mexican oregano 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon mustard powder Instructions:  Pineapple, Jicama, Kiwi & Habanero Chili Salsa Combine all ingredients, except cilantro in a bowl. Mix well. Ass a pinch of salt and pepper. Let sit 10-15 minutes and then add cilantro; mix and reserve to serve at room temperature. "Ranch 616" Mixture Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Soak oysters in buttermilk, refrigerating overnight or at least 2 hours. Dredge Texas oysters from buttermilk into "Ranch 616" mixture. Deep fry in 375°F oil for 3 minutes. Assemble greens on the bottom of plate, then carrots, salsa in the middle and then stack oysters around the salsa. Source: Recipe courtesy of Kevin Williamson, Ranch 616 and the Texas Department of Agriculture

Number of Servings:  36 Ingredients:  36 large oysters, in shells 1 head of Boston lettuce, washed & dried 1/2 pound fresh spinach, washed & dried 1 cup minced scallion 2 3/4 cups fine, dry bread crumbs 1/2 cup fresh minced parsley 1/4 cup minced celery 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup unsalted butter 2 tablespoons Pernod 1 tablespoon anchovy paste 1/8 tablespoon cayenne pepper 12 slices lean bacon 2 lemons, cut into wedges 1 cup coarse salt (per serving platter) Instructions:  Shuck oysters, reserving liquor and bottom shells. Scrub and dry the shells. In a bowl, combine lettuce, spinach, scallion, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, parsley, celery and garlic. In a skillet, melt butter over moderate heat and cook the spinach mixture, stirring for 1-2 minutes, or until greens are wilted. Stir in the Pernod, anchovy paste, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Chill mixture, covered, for one hour. In a separate skillet, cook bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then crumble. Arrange one oyster in each of the reserved shells and moisten each with some of the reserved liquor. Spread half of the spinach mixture by heaping tablespoons onto the oysters. Sprinkle bacon over each oyster. Top the bacon with remaining spinach mixture and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of remaining bread crumbs. Arrange oysters on oven proof platters filled with coarse salt. Bake in the middle of a preheated 450°F oven for 18 minutes or until breadcrumbs are well browned. Serve with lemon wedges as garnish. Source: Recipe Courtesy of the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Number of Servings:  24 Ingredients:  1/4 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced 48 oysters, shucked 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated Instructions:  Preheat oven to 400° F. Over medium heat, heat broth and oil in skillet. Add bread crumbs and garlic, stirring as they cook for 3 minutes. Add parsley. Oil a baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread two-thirds of bread crumbs in dish. Add oysters. Mix parmesan cheese with remaining bread crumbs and scatter over oysters. Bake 10 minutes. Serve immediately on plates with forks. Source: Recipe and photo courtesy of Try-Foods International, Inc. Nutrition Information:  Calories: 67 Protein: 4g Carbohydrates: 6g Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 17mg Sodium: 154mg

Number of Servings:  4 Ingredients:  2 tomatoes, diced 2 onions, diced 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 oz. olive oil 1/2 oz. tomato paste salt and pepper, to taste 4 oz. tomato juice 1/2 bulb julienned fennel, steamed 8 Nice olives 2 oz. white wine 2 oz. Pernod 24 Texan oysters, shucked Instructions:  Saute onions and garlic in olive oil, then add the tomatoes. Deglaze with white wine. Add tomato juice, tomato paste, fennel, olives and oregano. Cook until thick. Saute the oysters in olive oil until lightly brown. Flambe with Pernod for 3 minutes. Add the oysters to the tomato mixture, adjust seasoning and serve. Serve over pasta, or alone. Source: Recipe Courtesy of the Texas Department of Agriculture. Nutrition Information:  Iron: 68% Zinc: 511% Vitamin B12: 804%