Braiden Rex-Johnson Serves Up Oysters Gratineé
September is my favorite month of the year because it signals the onslaught of oyster season.
Pairing the proper wines with raw oysters on the half shell is a delicious challenge, one of particular interest in the Pacific Northwest, the nation’s leading oyster-producing region.
Young, lean white wines with crisp acidity that slices through the briny, metallic, cucumber-y, sea-breeze flavors of oysters, routinely win oyster-and-wine-pairing contests.
Varietals that “let the oyster be an oyster” while refreshing the palate are common favorites: Sauvignon Blanc (sometimes labeled as Fumé Blanc), Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blends, Chenin Blanc, Chablis, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Melon (which in France is known as Muscadet).
Best to steer away from big, buttery, and heavily oaked Chardonnays, though. Their bold flavors clash with, and silky mouth feel often overwhelm, the beloved bivalve. Also nix anything red, Rosé, sweet, hot (high in alcohol), full-bodied, or overly flavorful in comparison to the oysters.
And be sure to serve your oyster wine cold--as cold as your oysters--so the two are simpatico. Pre-chilling the bottle in a wine cellar or refrigerator, then keeping it an ice-filled ice bucket as you enjoy it with the oysters, works well for this.
Cooked oysters are equally fun to pair with wine. Just keep in mind the sauce, herbs, and spices served with the oyster, and you’ll be in good shape.
As an excellent example, here’s a recipe for a true classic--Oysters Gratinée--oysters baked in a creamy cheese sauce. It comes from my seventh book, Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining (Wiley, 2007) and is the inspiration of Philippe Boulot, long-time executive chef of the venerable Heathman Restaurant, adjacent to The Heathman Hotel in downtown Portland.
The busy chef once cooked a 10-course dinner at the venerable James Beard House in New York City in which every course incorporated oysters! In keeping with the tips above, he suggests pairing his oyster dish with a good-quality Semillon.
Oysters Gratinée
Varietal: Semillon
Serves 4 as an appetizer
20 fresh Pacific Northwest oysters, such as Westcott Bay European Flats, Kumamoto, Kushi, or Pacific
Rock salt
1 pound leeks, chopped (green parts only)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Swiss cheese
1 large egg yolk
1. With an oyster knife, shuck the oysters over a mixing bowl to catch all the juices. Reserve the bottom (cupped) shell from each oyster. Set the oysters aside. To prepare the reserved oyster shells for stuffing, rinse the shells in hot water, drain, and pat completely dry. Place a layer of coarse salt on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the oyster shells cup side up without crowding. Set aside.
2. Add the oyster juice, leeks, and cream to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the Swiss cheese, stir well, and allow to cool. Once cool, whisk in the egg yolk.
3. Ten minutes before cooking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Divide half the leek mixture among the prepared oyster shells, cover with an oyster, and divide the remaining leek mixture over the tops of the oysters. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until the oysters are cooked through but still tender and the sauce is slightly browned.
4. To serve, place a fresh layer of rock salt on a decorative platter or 4 individual plates. Arrange the oysters over the rock salt and serve immediately.
Recipe reprinted from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia (Wiley) by Braiden Rex-Johnson.
Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon
console xbox 360 on September 28, 2009 at 09:35 PM
I was given Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining book as a gift and after sitting down with a cuppa joe and browsing through it, I feel like I've had an eye-opening close encounter with the Northwest--and I live here! With our busy lives, who has time to track down the crème de la crème of cozy inns, tucked away vineyards and to-die-for bistros? Rex-Johnson has done the work for us, with a literary roadmap of the best of the best. She entertains with quick little snippets about the lives of chefs and growers, then helps us bring the experience home with their best recipes. I've just ordered another copy to give a chef-friend, and I'm going to keep one on hand for visitors coming to the area. Whether they like to cook or not, there's gorgeous photography, a travel guide, a bit of history, and inspiration for anyone whose pulse quickens in the face of beauty, bounty and harvest.