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WSJ OP-ED
Keep Europe’s Sick Shellfish Out of America – WSJ 11/15/22, 12:08 PM
https://www.wsj.com/articles/keep-europes-sick-shellfish-out-of-america-11558479597
OPINIONCOMMENTARY
Keep Europe’s Sick Shellfish Out of America
Oyster herpes won’t make you ill, but it’s an ecological threat.
By Michael Osinski and Isabel Osinski
May 21, 2019 6:59 pm ET
Usually, by mid-April, there is a noticeable algae bloom in the bay and fruit trees are in full bloom. Not this year – an unremitting succession of nor’easters has extended the winter and kept water temperatures at 40 degrees. Nonetheless, we have used our time, when not repairing battered docks and cables, to march on as if it were spring. Extensive use of wetsuits and an inexplicable affinity for working in cold water has gotten whipped the farm into shape.
We have 70% of the new cabling installed and about one third of our 15 month old oysters sorted and up on the kushi lines. Fortunately, our customers in the city are demanding our oysters, so, despite the cold drizzle, we are suiting up and sending oysters to Manhattan today.
It’s Spring 2018 at Widow’s Hole. Susanna is home from Cornell and Merc was just accepted to Yale. All four of us hauled in cages of 16 month old oysters and ran them through the sorted, yielding 40 baskets which we will put on the kushi lines tomorrow. The weather held off long enough for us to finish. It’s been raining now for hours, giving us time to rebuild the hacked website.
Our beef stir – fry summertime version: Marinate thinly sliced beef ( skirt, flank, ribeye, or any steak). The marinade: soysauce, a splash of sesame oil and generous pinches of white pepper. To pan/wok swirl in hot oil then add a nob of ginger, thinly sliced, and a half of a Chinese pickled turnip, diced finely. Stir, then when very hot, make a well in the center of the wok/pan and into the very hot oil, dump in beef. Resist stirring the mound of meat, instead, let it sizzle like a large pancake. Peak under & when browned and the meat on top is still rawish, add garlic, THEN break up, boldly fragment the meat. Add oyster liqueor & wine. Stir through, then remove meat. Reheat wok/pan, add oil, then stir-fry vegetables. ( A tasty summertime veggie blend is tomatoes, hardbeancurd , onions & basil. ) Add previously cooked meat mixture to vegetables. Make sure there is plenty of gravy. Heat through, then plate. Make a well in the meat for the warmed oysters, with care, accent the oysters minutely with lime zest.
When chefs visit our farm, we welcome them with trays of Widow’s Hole Oysters Rockefeller and flutes of champagne. This recipe finds favor with those sad people who claim not to like oysters.
Recipe :
Steam spinach, if spinach is unavailable use any fresh leafy green. In a pinch use frozen.
Puree spinach and lettuce
Make white sauce (butter, flour). If crowd appears difficult to please, use some bacon grease.
Add to the pan of white sauce the pureed spinach & lettuce mixture.
Add to the white sauce liquor from your shucked oysters. A fresh oyster should be full of liquid. If not, be wary.
IMPORTANT: Taste. Add a dash of worcestshire and 2 splashes of Pastis, and a few gratings of nutmeg.
Taste again. If not zingy, with caution add a few sprinkles cumin or dribbles of lemon juice.
Add lemon zest, if desired.
Broil for 9 minutes or until the gills of of the oysters curl and top is a crispy golden brown.
(Optional – hot sauce, paprika)
pair with Bordeaux Wine
In Archachon, France, local oysters are served with a grilled pork sausage accompanied by their regional Bordeaux and a crusty loaf of bread.
Chefs have sat in our farm kitchen for hours eating this classic combination.
Unsurprisingly, this combo is on many menus in NYC, and chefs always awe us with their versions.
Recipe:
Grill thin sausages ( get a variety if you like)
Shuck oysters, 3 per person. Have on hand 2 extra per person, shucked.
Baguette, sliced, of which the number of pieces should be the same as the number of partakers plus 1 extra. Break the one extra into 3 pieces.
Arrange sausages & oysters on platters accompanied with
Lemons, hot pepper vinaigrette or your favorite sauce and
and perhaps an extra bottle of wine.
