Oyster roast is a traditional event originating from the Low Country, an area along the South Carolina coast. Similar to a clambake in the Northeast, the oysters are placed into a roasting kettle, covered with a burlap sack, then placed over hot coals until fully cooked.
Once done, they are traditionally served on picnic tables lined with newspapers and pried open with special knives. The oyster roast has some standard accompaniments such as crackers, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and sometimes horseradish. When hosting an oyster roast, it's recommended to have a few bottles of cold beer on hand, or gin and whiskey-based cocktails.
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Oyster omelette originated in the city of Chaozhou (Teochew) and the region of Fujian in China. It is a signature dish of the Hokkien people - Chinese diaspora in Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The dish consists of small oysters added to a mixture of potato starch and egg batter.
Depending on the region, cooks will sometimes add a dash of spicy chili sauce mixed with lime juice to intensify the taste of the whole dish. The city of Tainan in Taiwan is even unofficially called the snack city, especially because it offers one of the best oyster omelettes in the region - unsurprisingly so, because its coastal location ensures that it is never in lack of fresh oysters.
MOST ICONIC Háo jiān
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Charbroiled oysters is a traditional dish originating from New Orleans. In order to make the dish, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters on the half shell are placed on the hot grill and cooked in their own juices until bubbling and the edges start to curl.
The oysters are topped with a sauce consisting of butter, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice, and grated Pecorino Romano. Once the sauce has started to bubble, each oyster is sprinkled with grated Pecorino and garnished with minced parsley.
MOST ICONIC Charbroiled oysters
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Originally invented in New Orleans' French Quarter, these oysters are baked in their shells with bread crumbs, grated cheese, onions, mushrooms, shrimp, wine, and a buttery roux. The oysters are baked until lightly browned, then served immediately, preferably garnished with chopped green onions and lemon wedges.
This elegant appetizer is served in many fine dining restaurants in New Orleans, including the famous Antoine's and Arnaud's.
MOST ICONIC Oysters Bienville
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The technique of frying oysters is traditionally associated with the coastal areas of the United States, namely the West and the Southeast. It is said that pan-fried oysters were initially a frugal dish, but by the 19th century they became a well-known delicacy, while the technique of deep-frying developed in the 20th century.
When shucked, the oysters are usually dipped in batter, optionally coated in breadcrumbs and various seasonings, and finally shortly fried until crispy and golden. The batter is occasionally made with buttermilk, which creates a lighter, slightly sour coating that perfectly complements the oysters.
MOST ICONIC Fried Oysters
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Japanese deep-fried oysters are a seasonal specialty usually enjoyed during fall and winter when oysters are in season. The dish is commonly prepared in restaurants or at home, and it consists of shucked oysters that are dusted with flour and dipped in beaten eggs before they are coated in panko breadcrumbs and finally deep-fried until crispy and golden.
They are usually served with lemon wedges, fresh vegetables, and various sauces and condiments such as tonkatsu or tartar sauce.
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Oysters Rockefeller is a popular American appetizer consisting of oysters served on half-shells that are topped with ingredients such as butter sauce, bread crumbs, and various green herbs such as parsley. They are then either broiled or baked.
The appetizer was invented in 1899 in America's oldest family-run restaurant called Antoine's in New Orleans, when Jules Alciatore, the original owner's son adapted his father's signature dish known as escargot Bourguignon, but he replaced the snails with oysters, a local food source that was abundant in the area.
Oyster Rockefeller was born, and the original recipe is still a closely-guarded secret of Antoine's.
MOST ICONIC Oysters Rockefeller
View moreIn the past, stout and raw oysters were considered a poor man's lunch, and although even today this combination may raise eyebrows, they do complement each other well by balancing, yet enhancing their contrasting flavors. It is believed that this pairing was created in the 19th century with the invention of stout, and many credit Galway as the place of origin, which is no surprise given that it is a harbor city.
Shucked oysters are typically served alongside lemon wedges and a glass of stout, but there have been inventions in this department as well, such as shucked oysters topped with stout granita.
MOST ICONIC Stout and Raw Oysters
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Guljeon is a traditional dish originating from South Korea. This type of jeon (pan-fried battered food) is made with oysters. Other ingredients include eggs, rice wine, salt, pepper, flour, scallions, and oil. The oysters are shelled, rinsed, drained, and coated with flour before they're dipped in a mixture of beaten eggs, rice wine, salt, pepper, and scallions.
Once battered, the oysters are pan-fried in oil on both sides, then served hot with a dipping sauce on the side.
Ostra ao bafo is a traditional oyster-based dish originating from Brazil. The dish consists of boiled oysters, and it’s usually made with a combination of oysters, cachaça, and lemon juice. The oysters are boiled in a mixture of water and cachaça until the shells start to open.
They’re removed from the pot and placed on ice to stop the cooking process. Once boiled, the oysters are served with lemon wedges so that each person can drizzle some lemon juice over the oysters before consumption. If desired, a vinaigrette sauce consisting of honey, orange juice, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper can also be served with ostra ao bafo.
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