Title: Cornmeal Battered Oysters on the Half Shell
Categories: T, H, A, N, K
Yield: 8 Servings

32 Oysters; shucked (reserve
-half of the shells)
1 c Milk
2 c Cornmeal
1 ts Salt
1/4 ts Cayenne
3 tb Unsalted butter
2/3 c Onion; julienned
2/3 c Celery; julienned
2/3 c Carrot; julienned
Salt and pepper
14 c Vegetable oil for deepfrying
Tartar sauce
3 Sweet gherkins; finely
-chopped
2 Shallots; finely chopped
Yolk of 1 hardboiled egg;
-sieved or finely chopped
1 tb Capers; finely chopped
2 tb Fresh parsley leaves; finely
-chopped
2 tb Grated onion
1 tb Fresh tarragon; finely
-chopped -or-
1 ts Dried; crumbled
1 tb Fresh chervil; finely
-chopped -or-
1 ts Dried; crumbled
1 1/2 ts Dijon mustard
1/2 ts Grated lemon peel
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 c Homemade or prepared
-mayonnaise

Combine cornmeal, salt and cayenne in a shallow bowl.

Dip oysters in milk then dredge in cornmeal mixture. Arrange oysters on a
baking sheet or tray and chill 30 minutes.

Melt butter in a saucepan over mediumlow heat. Add onions, celery and
carrots and cook, covered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Season lightly
with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a deepfat fryer or large, heavy pot to
365 degrees. Add oysters, in batches, and fry 40 seconds until golden
brown. Scoop up with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Arrange
cleaned oyster shells on serving platter. Fill each shell with 1 teaspoon
of vegetable mixture. Top with oysters and a spoonful of tartar sauce.

Yield: 8 servings

Tartar sauce: Fold gherkins, shallots, egg yolk, capers, parsley, onion,
tarragon, chervil, mustard and lemon zest into mayonnaise; season to taste
with salt and pepper.

Yield: about 2 cups

Notes: Thanksgiving Special with Drew Nieporent

Recipe by: TVFN Show #TGSP94

Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #921 by Sue on Nov 23,
1997