Tag: Party

Oysters Rockefeller – Cleaning, Shucking and the Recipe

The Best Oysters are Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller are a great way to kick off any celebration.  New Orleans Mardi Gras is certainly no exception.  And as you may or may not know, the original recipe was developed in the French Quarter at local restaurant called Antoine’s back in the 1800’s.  This recipe has since gone platinum.  And you as you can see in the picture below, they are fairly inexpensive to buy and with this recipe, they certainly live up to their name, “Rockefeller”.  I think I paid about 58 cents a piece is all and the results were spectacularly “Rich”.

What kind of Oysters do you have?

These are West Coast Oysters.  You can tell they aren’t from the East Coast because of the Greenish color, instead of brown, and they’re a bit more long gated as well.  They should always be scrubbed and rinsed before shucking.  This will help eliminate any grime getting into the shell.  Personally, I like to rinse them out after anyway.  But some folks will freak out if you drain the “liquor” from the oyster before serving because there’s so much flavor there.  But for Oysters Rockefeller, there is so much flavor added to it through out the recipe, in my opinion, it really doesn’t matter.  The important thing is that no one breaks a tooth trying to eat them.

Shucking Oysters

I’ll show you, in the video below, how to properly shuck these things and lay them out on the half shell.  There’s really nothing to it once you learn the tricks.  But it’s important to lay them down on something that will keep them stable so they don’t teeter back and forth.  Some people, restaurants included, press the round shell backs down into Rock salt, and that’s great for serving but I just use cup cake pans to keep them from moving and it works great for broiling.

Oysters Rockefeller

To make this recipe, you need a few key ingredients but the main thing is to make it green like money.  As the story goes, when this recipe was created, someone in the restaurant exclaimed that these Oysters were as rich as Rockefeller.  Others think it has to do with the color of money itself.  Either way, the name stuck and now the world can enjoy them for any occasion.

If you’re interested in other Cajun recipes and food celebrated in New Orleans and at Mardi Gras, check out my Boudin, Crawfish Etouffee and my Jambalaya!

Oysters Rockefeller Ingredients:

1 doz Med/Lrg Oysters
2 cloves Garlic, ground
1 Green Onion, ground
1 sprig of Fresh Parsly
4 oz Baby Green Spinach
2 tbsp White wine, can sub ice water or white grape juice
1 stick of melted butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp Crab Boil or Crawfish Seasoning (Old Bay is fine)
1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp Basalmic Vinager
1/3 cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs, optional

Be sure to watch the full Oysters Rockefeller Video Tutorial so you can see, step by step, exactly how to make them from scratch.

Firecracker Shrimp with Spicy Mayo

Firecracker Shrimp

The Best Firecracker Shrimp

This Firecracker Shrimp Recipe is a very fast and simple way to just knock out a great appetizer that everyone can enjoy.  There are many different ways you can make these and as you can see I’ve chosen the easiest way to demonstrate by practicality and availability so that everyone can enjoy these little poppers.  The more authentic version requires Spring Roll Wrappers which aren’t often, if at all, stocked in regular grocery stores.  That is why I’ve chosen the Wonton Wrapper because they’re made more readily available.  To make these Firecracker Shrimp you only need a few ingredients, which I’ll list below.

Other Firecracker Shrimp Recipes

The more commonly known Firecracker Shrimp recipe is different than this appetizer and it is normally served as a side or main dish.  Some restaurants even have it listed on their menu under a different name; Bang Bang Shrimp.  But they are, both, one in the same and it doesn’t reference the look of the firecracker as much as it does the spiciness of the dish.  It’s generally made with pre-fried, battered shrimp with Red Chili’s and a sweet and spicy sauce.  And, lucky for you, I just so happen to have the number one fried shrimp recipe on YouTube, so all you have to do is combine that recipe with the sauce and you’ll be on your way.  Click Here for that recipe!

 

Firecracker Shrimp Ingredients:

1 pkg Wonton Wrappers
2 lbs Medium or Large Shrimp
1/4 cup Water for Wrappers
Oil for Frying

Spicy Mayo Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp Sriracha

Peal and de-vain Shrimp but leave the tails attached.  Roll each Shrimp in one Wonton Wrapper, leaving the tail out, one half roll, then fold the bottom of the wrapper over the end of the shrimp like a burrito and roll the Wrapper and Shrimp together as one until you reach the furthest edge and stop.  Dab the edge with water and seal by pressing firmly.  Fry at 350 degrees for 4 minutes or until golden brown.  Mix the two ingredients together for Spicy Mayo, adjust for taste and enjoy your Firecracker Shrimp.