The subtle sweetness of cornbread joins with the savory depth of leek and the heat of banana pepper to make a crumble that will capture, and hold, your attention. Atop roasted oysters, the combination is an impressive symphony of flavors and textures. Try it as the first course of a leisurely meal, or as an entrée to be shared with your beloved.
Roasted Oysters with Cornbread, Leek and Banana Pepper Crumble Recipe
Cornbread Recipe
INGREDIENTS
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Put butter in a 9-inch seasoned cast-iron skillet and place in oven.
- While the butter is melting and the skillet is preheating, whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl (cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar).
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.
- Whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture until combined.
- Once butter is melted, remove skillet from the oven, turning the pan so the butter coats all sides.
- Pour the remaining butter into the batter, and mix until combined.
- Once the oven is preheated, pour batter into hot skillet and place in oven.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are beginning to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Pace on resting rack and cool.
Garlic Chili Oil Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red chili flakes
1 head of garlic, peeled
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place all ingredients in a small pot.
- Heat on low-medium heat. Stir occasionally.
- Once the garlic cloves have turned golden brown, remove the pot from heat.
- Strain and store in a metal container to cool.
- Keep refrigerated.
Final Preparation and Cooking
INGREDIENTS
1 leek
1 banana pepper
2 tbsp butter or oil
12 fresh oysters
INSTRUCTIONS
- With a knife, slice off the root end and the tough green top of a leek.
- Thinly slice the remainder of the leek.
- Remove seeds and stem from a banana pepper. Brunoise the remainder.
- Sauté leek and banana pepper in oil or butter until tender.
- Once cool, remove cornbread from pan and break apart into small crumbles in a mixing bowl.
- Mix together equal portions of cornbread crumb, leek, and banana pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Shuck your oysters, and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Top each oyster with your crumble mixture and bake for 8-10 minutes at 425 degrees until golden brown and crispy on top.
- Garnish with fresh herbs, Maldon salt, garlic chili oil, and a lemon wedge.
Lake Erie Wine Pairing from TABLE Magazine’s Wine Expert Adam Knoerzer
Mazza Chardonnay: This full-throated dish calls for a wine with enough flesh to hold up to it. Enter this Chardonnay, which has a medium body and a touch of wood from the American and French oak in which it is aged for enhanced complexity.
Recipe by Chef Sarah Baugher, The Speckled Egg / Story by Keith Recker / Styling by Anna Calabrese / Photography by Dave Bryce / Wine Pairing by Adam Knoerzer
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