Executive Chef Frank Tramontano (Ever So Saucy Foods, Yaphank, New York)
Serves 6 (3 oysters each)
“Blue Points” are the most abused of oyster appellations. After a century of exile, real Blue Points are, once again, growing in their ancestral home, Long Island’s Great South Bay. The name has been undercut by boring and bland “New Jersey Blue Points,” “Virginia Blue Points,” and other pretenders. Oysters are grown in trays around the docks of the Great South Bay and deliver the full-salt assault that made Blue Points famous in the 1820s, along with fascinating pine and anise notes (hence, the Pernod in this recipe), which are most apparent in spring. Delivered straight to Manhattan restaurants, they are the genuine article.
3 strips thick-cut hickory-cured bacon
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped (see Chef’s Tips on garlic, this page)
6 shallots, chopped
¼ cup dry white vermouth
½ cup Pernod (or anise-flavored liqueur), divided
¼ cup fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup fresh dill, chopped
2 dozen Blue Point oysters, shucked
3 lemons, cut into wedges
Kosher or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Prepare all the ingredients so they are measured and ready to combine (see Chef’s Tips on mise en place, this page). Cut the bacon into 1-inch strips (about 8 to 10 strips). Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Boil the bacon strips for 3 minutes, drain, and set aside to dry.
In a deep sauté pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over low heat. Add garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring until the garlic turns slightly pale to very light brown. Add shallots, sauté, and stir until soft (about 1 minute). Add vermouth, and reduce the liquid for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add ¼ cup of Pernod, and the reduce liquid for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add parsley and dill, and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and the remaining Pernod. Remove from the heat and set aside. This can be prepared a day in advance. Do not refrigerate.
Arrange the chilled oysters on a foil-lined baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon of mixture to each oyster. Top with bacon, and broil for about 2 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Serve with lemon wedges.
Presentation Suggestions:
On an oven-safe dish, serve on a bed of warm rock salt or sea kelp garnished with lemon wedges, dill fronds, and parsley sprigs.