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Oysters with Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Mignonette
I keep trying to rack my brain, but I honestly can't remember the first time I consumed raw oysters. It's quite possible I had one as a teenager, but I'm pretty sure I was in my twenties (maybe after meeting Eric) that I had my first experience with these bivalves. Now, however, I'd list them as one of my favorite foods. Some of my favorite food memories revolve around oysters. Being served the Oysters and Pearls at The French Laundry (paired, of course, with a glass of Champagne) when we celebrated our first wedding anniversary and Eric's 30th birthday. Or the Kumamoto oyster with cucumber mignonette at O Ya (during my birthday dinner). But, mostly, I prefer my oysters treated with a little squeeze of lemon, maybe a small spoonful of mignonette. Ideally, a platter will be consumed outdoors, overlooking a body of water. However, that's not always possible (As I type, it's snowing. Hello winter!) and we've taken to shucking them at home, often slurping them down over the kitchen sink. It's not elegant, but it does feel intimate. Sometimes that's how romance is, right? :-)
While oysters are wonderful on their own, there are some simple ways to accentuate their robust ocean flavor. A little acid does a lot to make them pop. For this mignonette, I've combined two types of seasonal citrus, grapefruit and Meyer lemons, to make a simple dressing to spoon on top.
Oysters with Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Mignonette
YIELD
12 oysters
INGREDIENTS
12 oysters, shucked
1 large red grapefruit, segmented
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon
1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh chive
Coarsely ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Chop the segmented grapefruit sections into small pieces and transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the Meyer lemon juice, Champagne vinegar, salt, chive, and black pepper. Give it a quick whisk to combine.
Before eating, top an oyster with the grapefruit and Meyer lemon mignonette.
Pumpkin Potage with Toasted Farro
Pumpkin Potage with Toasted Farro
It's rare that I cook with pumpkin. Really rare. Like, once a year... maybe. For a while, we kept canned pumpkin puree around and I would use it to make a quick soup or these brownies, but for whatever reason, we stopped purchasing it. The one time I cooked with fresh pumpkin, it was kind of a process. I roasted the flesh and blended it with vanilla and spices and whipped up what would turn out to be some of the best pancakes I've ever consumed. Did I follow a recipe? No. Do I remember what I did? Nope. And I have yet to attempt recreating it.
So, that was the last time I cooked with pumpkin... that is until a few weeks ago when one came in a box from Blue Apron. For those unfamiliar with the company, Blue Apron is a service where people can have fresh ingredients and recipes delivered to their homes. Printed on the recipe cards are step-by-step instructions that include color photographs. I never promote a business without trying out the product first, so I asked to have a box sent to me. Let's just say that I was impressed.
One of my fears was that everything would come pre-chopped and that all I'd have to do is throw it in a pan and I'd have a meal in 15 minutes. What does that teach anyone about cooking? I was thrilled to find that while ingredients came pre-portioned, there was quite a bit of work that was required. The recipe Blue Apron provided in the shipment, a pumpkin veggie potage, required that I roasted the pumpkin and seeds, toast the farro, chop the onions and garlic, and let it all stew in a pot for a period of time.
The potage is one of many vegetarian recipes Blue Apron has in their database and it's the ideal meal for a cold fall day. The recipe, which can be found here, includes a "New World Spice Blend" which contains garlic, basil, onion, marjoram, thyme, fennel, turmeric, and cinnamon. The "veggie base" is Better Than Bouillon brand, but it was suggested that veggie broth would work as a substitute (my recommendation is to not use a low-sodium broth as this is main supply of salt in the dish).
If you're interested in ordering from Blue Apron, they've generously provided a 30% off coupon to A Thought For Food readers. Just use this link to order.
Pumpkin Potage with Toasted Farro
Pumpkin Potage with Toasted Farro
Pumpkin Potage with Toasted Farro
Pumpkin Potage with Toasted Farro
Other bloggers featuring Blue Apron
Tortilla Soup on
Warm Winter Sweet Potato Salad on
Roasted Vegetable Kebabs with Curried Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce on
Ligurian Chard with Pine Nuts and Feta on
Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese on
Disclosure: Blue Apron provided me with compensation for this post. All opinions in this post about Blue Apron's products and this recipe are my own.
