The world’s your oyster

Don't believe people who tell you Pacific oysters are tasteless.

I fancied eating some cooked oysters this week, so took my daughter to our local seaside cafe, where she ordered half a dozen battered Bluffs and half a dozen natural. As she devoured all 12, we discussed the merits of cooked oysters versus raw ones. We eventually decided it doesn’t really matter how you eat them, especially when you do so within shouting distance of the sea, with seagulls screeching overhead.

Oyster snobs often look down on Pacific oysters, with their elongated shells, because they are usually farmed in hatcheries, resulting in an undeserved reputation for being tasteless, soft and frequently creamy. Anyone who thinks this is the case should try the oysters farmed on Waiheke Island by Duana and Nat Upchurch.

Te Matuku Bay Pacific oysters, which taste of the sea, pure and clean, are farmed using a system of hanging baskets on what could be one of the world’s most productive oyster aquaculture farms. The baskets of oysters can be moved around the crystal-clear waters of the Te Matuku Bay Marine Reserve, ending up at the front of the farm, tossed around in the vigorous tidal waters. This knocks the edges off the shell, producing a perfectly shaped oyster with plump flesh.

The word is these are the only oysters in New Zealand that can be bought live in the shell. If you want to open your own oysters, I highly recommend them. They are available from the Upchurchs’ shop on Tahi Rd, Waiheke Island, or at restaurants around the country.

A member of the cabbage family, cavolo nero is a vegetable we are seeing more of at local organic stores. With its long, ­wrinkly blue-green leaves, cavolo nero has an earthy sweetness and an iodine-like bite, which is why I include it with oysters, but any leafy cabbage – either savoury or kale – will do, as will leaf spinach.

Oyster Pie with Cavolo Nero

500g cavolo nero or leaf spinach

a few sprigs of parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 180?C. Blanch the cavolo nero in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain, making sure it is as dry as possible. Chop the leaves coarsely. Roll out just over half the pastry to line the bottom and sides of a 23cm non-stick cake tin. In a large, deep frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp – about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and roughly chop it into small pieces. Return the pan to the stove, add the butter and allow it to melt. Chop the onion finely, then add to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and bay leaf, then cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and stir over a medium heat for 4 minutes to make a roux. Pour in the cream and milk, then bring to a simmer, ­stirring continuously until it has thickened slightly. Check the seasoning and add salt if necessary. Pour the sauce into the pastry-lined tin, then scatter over the cavolo nero, oysters, bacon and parsley. Roll out the remaining pastry and lay it over the filling, pinching the edges to seal tightly. Cut a hole in the centre to let the steam out as it cooks. Decorate with leftover pastry, then bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is golden brown – about 25-30 minutes. Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4.

BEING such a light batter, tempura is perfect for oysters. Use fresh vegetable oil in this recipe, otherwise your beautiful oysters will taste old and tired.

Oyster Tempura with Lime and Chilli dipping sauce

24 rock oysters in the half shell

sea salt

Use a teaspoon to remove the oysters from their shells, then place them in a small bowl. Put the shells on a serving platter. Heat the oil to 180?C in a wok or a deep saucepan. Gently coat the oysters in rice flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the oysters into the batter and deep-fry for 3-4 minutes until crisp. Remove the oysters from the oil using a slotted spoon, then drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt. Put the oysters into the shells and serve immed­iately with lime and chilli dipping sauce.

Tempura batter

1 cup plain flour

1 egg

Sift the flour into a bowl, then gently whisk in the water and egg. The mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter – don’t worry about small lumps. Keep the batter cold until ready to use.

Makes 2 cups.

Lime and Chilli dipping sauce

150ml water

zest and juice of 1 lime

Put the water in a saucepan, then grate the palm sugar and add. Bring to a simmer over a moderate heat. Cook for 10 minutes until the syrup turns golden brown. Remove from the heat and cool. Chop the chillies finely and add to the cooled syrup with the lime zest and juice.

Serves 4.

Rock sugar, also known as yellow sugar, and is available from most Asian supermarkets.

Chinese-Style Steamed Oysters with Rock-Sugar Dressing

24 rock oysters in the half shell

5 spring onions

Slide a teaspoon between the oyster and the shell, slicing through the ligament that attaches the halves. Flip the oysters over so the more attractive round side is uppermost. Moisten each oyster with a small amount of sesame oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds, then place them in a covered steaming basket. Place the basket carefully over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Arrange the oysters on a large serving platter and spoon over ­the rock-sugar dressing. Gently toss the ­coriander and spring onion together in a small bowl, then sprinkle it over the ­oysters and serve immediately.

Enough for 4 oyster fanatics.

Rock Sugar Dressing

100g Chinese rock or yellow sugar

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Crush the rock sugar. In a small saucepan heat the crushed sugar and vinegar over a low heat until it dissolves. Cool, then add the other ingredients and mix well. The dressing keeps for 3 months refrigerated.