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Pan-Fried Oysters with Creamy Radish and Cucumber Salad

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Pan-Fried Oysters with Creamy Radish and Cucumber Salad

  • fast FAST
  • staff favorite STAFF FAVORITE
TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN
SERVES: 8
Kahan loves the intense flavor of oysters, and like most chefs, he adores anything fried. Here he serves the crunchy oysters with a creamy raita-like cucumber mixture. Alongside, he pours a crisp pilsner, like La Brasserie de Saverne's Boris from Alsace.
ingredients
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, mashed
  • 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds, coarsely cracked
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
  • 1/4 teaspoon dill seeds, coarsely cracked
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 small bunch radishes, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
  • 1 seedless cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
  • Salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups panko (Japanese type of bread crumb)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 dozen oysters, shucked
  • 1 1/2 cups canola oil
  • 1 small bunch watercress, thick stems discarded
directions
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the yogurt, buttermilk and lemon juice. Whisk in the mashed garlic, mustard seeds, cracked black peppercorns and dill seeds until combined. Whisk in the grapeseed oil. Add the sliced red onion, radish wedges and cucumber slices and season well with salt. Cover the salad and refrigerate.
  2. Put the flour, eggs and panko in 3 shallow bowls and season each with salt and ground black pepper. Lightly beat the eggs. Pat the oysters dry with paper towels. Lightly dredge them in the flour, dip them in the eggs and then in the panko, pressing lightly to help the crumbs adhere. Transfer the breaded oysters to a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
  3. In a large skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the oysters over high heat, turning once, until the coating is crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season the oysters with salt.
  4. Arrange the fried oysters on a platter and spoon the creamy radish and cucumber salad on the side. Garnish with the watercress and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 up to 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate the breaded oysters on the lined baking sheet.

Recipe by Paul Kahan
From Great Beer From Around the World Meets its Food Match
This recipe originally appeared in June, 2006.