Tuscan
Egg Salad with Fried Oysters*
By Frank Stitt ó
Highlands Bar & Grill, Bottega, Bottega Café,
Birmingham, AL
Serves 4
Ingredients for the egg
salad:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. pancetta in one piece, unrolled and cut into lardons
(1/4" x 3/4" strips)
1 shallot, finely chopped
8 fresh organic eggs
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Scant 4 C mixed young lettuces, such as frisée,
arugula, young Bibb, romaine and Lolla Rossa
2-3 T sherry vinaigrette
Procedures:
Warm olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium
heat. Add pancetta and cook for 2ñ3 minutes. Add
shallot and cook for 1 minute.
Meanwhile,
beat eggs and season with sea salt and pepper. Pour eggs
into sautÈ pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring
for 2-3 minutes.
Combine
lettuces in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Add vinaigrette and toss.
Add warm eggs to salad greens and toss lightly.
Ingredients
for the sherry vinaigrette:
1/2 shallot, finely minced
2 T sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 T extra virgin olive oil
Procedures:
Combine shallot, sherry vinegar and a pinch of salt and
pepper in a small bowl and let macerate for 10 minutes.
Whisk
in olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Taste and adjust
the seasonings.
Ingredients
for the oysters:
16 fresh oysters
1 C cornmeal
1 C all-purpose flour
Salt
Large pinch freshly ground black pepper
Small pinch cayenne pepper
3 C peanut oil for frying
Procedures:
In a large, deep sautÈ pan, heat peanut oil to
350† F.
In a mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper
and cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly to combine. Roll
oysters, one at a time, in mixture and set aside.
Carefully
place 8 oysters in 350∞ F oil and cook until golden,
about 1ñ2 minutes. Remove and allow to drain on
paper towel. Fry remaining oysters. Season oysters with
salt and pepper.
To
Serve:
Place oysters on and around the egg salad.
*Seafood
Watch: recommends farmed oysters from all sources.
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