OYSTER FEST: Oysters usually elicit a love-it-or-hate-it reaction, but Irish Oyster Cuisine, by Connemara Gaeltacht broadcaster and writer Máirín Uí Chomáin, will convert many to the charms of the bivalve.
There's something much less scary about an oyster when it's taken out of its shell, paired with crispy bacon or a buttery sauce, and blasted under a hot grill. True enthusiasts may prefer the unadulterated oyster, dressed in nothing more than a squirt of lemon, but for the rest of us, this collection of recipes and anecdotal information reveals the versatility of one of our native delicacies. There's advice on buying and storing oysters, tips on opening them, as well as a useful wine guide by Martin Moran, MW. A chapter on bread and scones includes several unusual recipes using seaweeds as an ingredient.
Irish Oyster Cuisine, by Máirín Uí Chomáin, is published by AA Farmar, €14.99.
OYSTERS WITH IRISH BLACK PUDDING, HONEY AND APPLE
Serves four
4-8 oysters, drained, juices reserved
50g unsalted butter
4 slices black pudding
4 large slices eating apple, cored but not peeled
2 tbsp Irish honey
Melt half the butter in a pan and fry the black pudding until it is crisp on both sides. Remove from the pan and wipe the pan clean. Fry the apple in a mixture of honey and the remaining butter until golden on both sides, and tender but not soft. Remove the apple from the pan and keep it warm. Fry the oysters until plump and heated through. To serve, place a slice of apple on a warm starter plate. Place a slice of black pudding on the apple and top it off with the oysters. Dribble the honey butter around the plate and serve.