Oyster Rockefeller - Central Grand Oyster Bar's

When Mary Ann and I visited New York City, we found the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station.  We had their Oyster Rockefellers.  They were perfect.  Below, I found the recipe for their Oysters Rockefeller.  Sandy Ingber, executive chef at the Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York City, decreed the Riyak Nuyagi oyster from K & B Seafood as December's Oyster of the Month.   The "Bishop of Bivalves" suggests the Royals from Vancouver Island for this renowned Oysters Rockefeller recipe, perfect for a holiday appetizer, and one of the signature dishes of this historic seafood restaurant "below sea lever" at Grand Ventral Terminal.  She provided the recipe below.  

Ingredients

• 24 Oysters
• Creamed Spinach

• 1 lb. frozen spinach defrosted
• White Wine
• 1 pinch ground Nutmeg
• 1 pinch kosher salt

• Hollandaise Sauce

• 6 Egg yolks
• 1 TB white wine
• 1-½ cups clarified butter
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 12 dashes Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
• ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Procedure 

Oysters Preparation Steps

1. Position an oven rack in the top position and heat the broiler. Remove the (Royal Miyagi) oysters from their shells. Oysters should be on the half shell.
2. Arrange the shells on a rimmed baking sheet and spread 1 heaping tablespoon of the creamed spinach into each shell. (You’ll have some spinach left over.)  Set the oysters on top of the spinach.  Broil until the oysters are just starting to ruffle, about 1 minute.  Remove from the broiler and nap each oyster with about 1 tablespoon hollandaise sauce.  Broil until the sauce browns, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Using tongs, divide the oysters among 4 dinner plates and serve.

Creamed Spinach Preparation Steps

1. Place the spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess liquid.
2. Transfer the spinach to a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the spinach is warm. Stir in the vin blanc sauce, then season with nutmeg and salt and stir again. Keep the spinach warm until you serve it.

Hollandaise Sauce Preparation Steps

1. Put the egg yolks and wine in a large stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water. The bowl should not touch the water. Whisk vigorously until the yolks are light and tripled in volume. The consistency will be like a pudding, and the yolks will make a ribbon that sits on the surface for 3 seconds when you lift the whisk. Be careful not to scramble the eggs as you whisk; make sure to whisk along the sides of the bowl, and take the bowl off the heat periodically.
2. Set the bowl on the counter—on a damp kitchen towel to keep it steady—and whisk in the butter in a very slow, steady stream. Don’t add the butter too quickly, or the sauce will break. Once all the butter is added, whisk in the lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt.
3. Keep the sauce warm until you’re ready to serve it.

Nana's Apple Sauce Cookies

I meet William Roof at the VFW in Novato on March 17, 2023.  He had just moved to our town from Seattle.  We were talking about stuff and I mentioned I had this food blog.  So, he has shared his Nana's Apple Sauce Cookie recipe for us to enjoy.  So, here goes.  

Ingredients

• ½ Cup melted butter (original recipe called for Oleo margarine) 
• 1 Cup White Sugar
• 1-½ Cup of warm, unsweetened Apple Sauce
• 2 Teas. Baking Soda
• 2 Cups (scant Flour - don't pack)
• 1 Teas. Cinnamon
• ½ Teas. Cloves
• ½ Teas. Salt
• 1 Cup raisins
• ½ Cup Nuts of choice

Proecdure

• Cream together the sugar& Cleo
• Add Apple Sauce, in which the Baking soda has been dissolved
• Shift flour, spices and salt
• Add raisins and nuts
• Combine but do not over mix
• Drop several inches apart on a baking sheet
• Bake at 325 for about 10 minutes

Oysters Bingo - Buckeye Roadhouse

Nick Patrakis, an acquaintance from Bel Marin Keys, is a big fan of the Oysters Bingo served at the Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley.   Further, he makes this recipe often.  Enjoy as an alternative to Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients

• 18-24 Oysters
• 1 bunch of Spinach
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 TB Olive Oil or more if needed
• ¾ cup of Best Foods Mayonnaise
• 1 TB chopped Garlic
• 2 TB grated Asiago cheese - Parmesan can be used 
• 1 TB fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 TB Cognac

Procedure

• Stir spinach constantly in hot large pot until all leaves are wilted.
• Drain in mesh strainer, squeezing out as much water as possible with the back of the spoon. Roughly chop and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
• Shuck oysters into another bowl, reserving the deeper shell halves.
• Line a baking sheet with a "rack" made by pleating a large sheet of aluminum foil to hold the oysters upright (or use rock salt).
• Put a tablespoon of spinach in the bottom of each shell, top with an oyster and a tablespoon of sauce. (A rubber spatula works well to spread the sauce evenly.)
• Bake in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes; then brown under broiler for about two minutes more.
• Serve hot!

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Megan's Asian Chicken Wings

So, another great recipe from my friend, Megan Costello.  She did this recipe for a birthday party of a mutual friend.  They were a great hit.   So, here we go. 

Ingredients

• Japanese BBQ sauce from Costco
• Party Chicken Wings from Costco
• Marinade for wings
• Japanese BBQ sauce, enough to coat wings completely
• Knob of ginger, minced
  
• Four cloves of garlic, sliced.
• Handful of parsley, chopped
• Sesame seeds

Procedure

• Marinade the wings overnight
• Preheat oven to 390
• Roast wings, skin side up, then turn about 20-30 minutes in. 
• Take any leftover marinade and put in a souce pan
• Add a knob of ginger, sliced garlic, and parsley, bring to ta boil and cook for a few minutes.
• At the 20 minute turn, pour some of the simmering ginger sacue over the turned wings.
• Cook for another 20 minutes and do a second turn.
• Add more sauce and sprinkly with sesame seeds.
• Finally, broil for 2-3 minutes. 
• If you are making ahead to serve stop at the 2nd turn cool and then finish before serving.
• It seems like it would over cook the chicken but I start the chicken right out of the fridge and the pour, After the first turn, I think keeps it moist.

Thai Pork and Shrimp on Sesame Wonton Crisps

A friend of ours, Deanna Desin, a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks recently brought this recipe to the VFW as an appetizer for the group.  She got the Thai Pork Shrimp mixture from Yan Can Cook.  It is really a great tasting treat.  So, here we go.

Ingredients Mixture

• ¼ pound lean ground pork.
• ¼ pound medium raw shrimp.
• 1 TB chopped green onion (including top).
• 1 Serrano or Jalapeño chili minced.
• 2 Egg whites.
• 2 teaspoons chopped Chinese parsley roots and 1 inch of stems.
• 1 teasppon chopped cilantro leaves.
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
• ½ teaspoon salt.
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.

Procedure

1. In a food processor, combine the mixture ingredients and process to make a course paste.  

Ingredients Sesame Wontons

• 6 wonton wrappers.
• Cooking spray.
• 1-½ teaspoons dark Sesame oil.
• 2 teaspoons white toasted Sesame seeds.
• ⅛ teaspoon black sea salt.

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut wonton wrappers in half diagonally.
3. Arrange triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
4. Brush evenly with dark sesame oil.
5. Sprinkle evenly with Sesame seeds and salt.
6. Bake at 425 for 4-5 minutes or until brown.

Final Step

• Spread Pork and Shrimp mixture on wontons.
• Serve immediately.