Ostrige z absintom in zelišči, v pečici
Ta recept je pogosto na meniju v moji priljubljeni restavraciji "Camino" v Oaklandu. Absint daje jedi čudovit zeliščni čar in dodatno oplemeniti okus jedi. Gratinada iz krušnih drobtin je odlična za jakobove pokrovače (kapesante), s tem, da jih moramo pred tem, čisto na kratko, prepražiti v ponvi na malo masla oz. e.d. oljčnega olja.
Tudi mešanico za gratiniranje lahko kar popečemo v ponvi na malo olja, jo potresemo čez meso pokravač in toplo posrežemo. (Če smo kupili pokrovače v lupinah, jih lahko gratiniramo kot ostrige v lupinah).
Predjed (zadostuje za 3 osebe):
1 ducat svežih(srednje velikih) ostrig, ki jih splahnemo pod mrzlo tekočo vodo
1 žlica e.d. oljčnega olja (za gratiniranje)
1/4 skodelice drobno narezane šalotke (1 velika šalotka)
1/2 majhnega gomolja koromača z listi, stebla odstranimo ter drobno nasekljamo liste
1 3/4 skodelice belih krušnih drobtin (1 dan star kruh)
1/4 žličke soli
sveže mlet poper po okusu
ščepec kosmičev rdeče pekoče paprike
1/4 skodelice drobno sesekljanega peteršilja
približno 2 žlici absinta (ali Pernod, ali ouzo, ali druge alkoholne pijače z aromo janeža )
približno 2 skodelici kamene soli (za peko ostrig)
1. Ostrige odpremo in zavržemo vrh lupine ter zhrahljamo vez na dnu lupine. Pri tem pazimo, da ohranimo čim več tekočine (v lupinah). Čez pladenj razpostremo vlažno kuhinjsko krpo, nanj položimo odprte ostrige, pokrijemo s plastično folijo in hranimo v hladilniku do peke.
2. Težjo ponev ogrejemo na srednje velikem ognju in dodamo žlico oljčnega olja. Ko se segreje dodamo šalotko in posolimo s ščepcem soli. Dušimo približno1minuto(oz. dokler se šalotka ne prične mehčati). Dodamo koromač in vse skupaj dušimo približno 6 do 7 minut. Sedaj previdno vmešamo drobtine. Ko le te dobijo lepo zlato-rjavo bravo vse skupaj odstanimo z ognja in pretresemo v veliko skledo. Solimo in popramo po okusu. Dodamo še papriko, narezane liste koromča in sesekljan peteršilj. Če ostrig ne bomo pripravili takoj, mešanico ohladimo ter jo nato pokrito shranimo v hladilnik. Pred uporabo prelijemo z absintom in na hitro premešamo. Sedaj mešanico poskusimo ter po okusu dodatno začinimo...toliko, da dobimo živahen zeliščni okus.
3. Pečico segrejemo na 220°C. V velik pekač položimo pek papir in posujemo kameno sol. Sol nam pomaga ohranjati toploto, obenem pa podpira ostrige, tako ostanejo stabilne. Ostrige razporedimo tako, da je razmak med dvema vsaj 2 cm. Na vsako dodamo približno eno žlico in pol mešanice drobtin. Ostrige nato še prelijemo z nekaj kapljic oljčnega olja in postavimo v pečico. Gratiniramo, dokler drobtinice zlato porjavijo(približno 6 do 7 min). Serviramo jih takoj in sicer skupaj z malimi žličkami, da lahko postrgamo vsako drobtinico.
Pokrovače (kapesante) "Gremolata"
To je en izmed najpreprostejših in najboljših načinov za pripravo kapesant. Poleg kapesant potrebujemo še:
½ skodelice drobno sesekljanega peteršilja
1 velik strok drobno nasekljanega svežega česna(predhodno mu odstranimo kalček v sredini)
Lupino ene limone(drobno naribano)
Zmešamo peteršilj in česen ter jima dodamo še naribano limonino lupinico (za resnično svež okus gremolato pripravimo tik pred kuhanjem pokrovač). S kuhinjsko brisačo pokrovače posušimo in jih nato cvremo v široki ponvi (na vročem maslu ali olju), toliko časa dokler lepo porjavijo. Pazimo, da jih ne prepečemo! Kapesante postavimo na topel servirni krožnik, solimo in popramo. Ko so vse kapesante pečene jih damo ponovno v ponev, ki smo jo pred tem posuli s polovico gremolate. Nekaj minut nežno mešamo na majhnem ognju in obenem kapesante "prelivamo" z gremolato. Sedaj jih ponovno postavimo na topel servini krožnik, potresemo s preostalo gremolato in takoj postrežemo.
Še izvirnik:
OYSTERS BAKED WITH ABSINTHE, HERBS AND BREADCRUMBS
SERVES ABOUT 3 AS HORS D'OEUVRE
This recipe pays homage to a dish often on the menu at Camino restaurant in Oakland, one of my favorites. The absinthe lends a wonderful herbal note, and allure. The breadcrumb topping is also excellent on scallops; after browning the scallops in clarified butter or olive oil in a pan, briefly saute-toast the breadcrumb topping with a bit of oil. Scatter the hot crumb mixture over the scallops and serve. If you have scallops in their shells, you can bake the crumbs directly on the scallops, the same as for oysters.
1 dozen fresh, live, medium-sized oysters, scrubbed well under cold running water
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup finely diced shallot (1 large shallot)
1/2 small fennel bulb with fronds, tough stalks removed, diced finely (reserve fronds)
1 3/4 cups fine breadcrumbs from day-old white bread
about 1/4 teaspoon salt, in all
freshly ground pepper to taste
pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
about 2 tablespoons absinthe (or Pernod or ouzo or other anise-flavored spirit)
about 2 cups rock salt (for baking oysters)
Open the oysters, discarding the top shell, and loosen each oyster from its bottom shell. Keep as much of the oyster's natural liquid in the shells as possible. Line a sheet tray with a damp kitchen towel, place the opened oysters on the tray, cover with wax paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until serving time.
To make the crumb topping, heat a wide skillet over a medium-high flame. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, then add the shallot with a pinch of salt. Sauté the shallot in the oil for a minute, until it begins to soften. Add the fennel to the skillet with a pinch of salt, sautéing until the fennel and shallot have lost their crunch, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs to the skillet, tossing to combine with the vegetables. Let the bread toast slightly in the skillet, then transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the red pepper flakes, chopped fennel fronds, and parsley. If you're not baking the oysters right away, let the breadcrumb mixture cool, then cover it and refrigerate. Close to serving time, sprinkle the absinthe over the mixture, tossing to combine. Taste the mixture for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or red pepper if necessary—it should taste lively, herbaceous, and well-seasoned.
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Scatter the rock salt over a large baking sheet with a 1Ž2-inch lip—the rock salt helps distribute the heat, but also helps keep the oysters steady. Place the oysters atop the rock salt, allowing at least 1Ž2 inch of space around each oyster. Top each oyster with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the crumb mixture. Drizzle a little olive oil over the oysters, place in the oven, and bake until the topmost crumbs are golden brown and the oysters are just heated through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, with small spoons to get every bit of crumbs.
SCALLOPS GREMOLATA
One of the simplest and best ways to serve scallops. For about 6 people. Shortly before you wish to cook and serve the scallops, chop enough parsley very finely to yield about 1/2 cup. Peel a large clove of fresh garlic, cut in half and remove the inner green sprout, and chop the garlic very finely. Combine the parsley and garlic. Finely grate the zest of a lemon over the parsley and garlic, and toss to combine (for best fresh flavor, make this gremolata right before cooking the scallops). Pat scallops dry with paper towels, then brown the scallops in batches in a hot, wide pan in clarified butter or olive oil--do not overcook. Remove the scallops to a warm serving platter as they are finished, and season with salt and pepper. When all the scallops are cooked, sprinkle half the gremolata in the warm pan and return all the scallops to the pan, stirring gently to coat the scallops in gremolata. Return the scallops to the serving platter, sprinkle the remaining gremolata over, and serve immediately.
