Text and photography by Michael O’Meara
Galway Oysters
Of all the foods produced in Galway none are celebrated as much as the oyster. The old saying that shellfish should only be consumed in a month with an ‘R’ in it may once have been good advice, but now days due to modern cultivation techniques it’s possible to enjoy fresh oysters right the way through the year. Having said that a celebration of the Galway oyster is an important part of our Galway traditions and both the Clarinbridge and Galway international oyster festival cater to this need in a brilliant way.
The main oyster bed in Galway is without doubt the Clarinbridge oyster bed. This natural oyster bed is one of the great culinary resources of Galway and should be valued and protected through every means possible. Oysters require a combination of fresh and salt water to induce the liver to fatten. The oysters of Clarinbridge benefit from the rivers Dunkellin and the Clarinbridge River. Galway oysters are world renowned, and for good reason. This saltwater bivalve mollusc when consumed in pristine condition is difficult to beat. A little Tabasco sauce and a squeeze of lemon is all that’s required. A pint of stout is the perfect liquid accompaniment to a freshly shucked dozen oysters. And after a meal like that a man could be ready for pretty much anything.
Although the purest will only eat their oysters freshly shucked with a squeeze of lemon there are a good number of people who might not like the idea of eating raw seafood. The following recipes are simple and very tasty as well.
To open or shuck an oyster a special oyster knife is highly recommended. Also try to get a demonstration from an experienced shocker.
1. Wrap the oyster in a teacloth and place on a firm service with the flat part of the shell facing towards you.
2. Holding the oyster firmly insert the oyster knife into the gap at the hinge of the oyster.
3. Twist the blade which will snap the shells apart.
4. Slide the blade along the top flat shell to sever the muscle, discard the top shell.
5. Dislodge the oyster from the shell being careful not to spill any of the juices.
6. Enjoy
Please note that you should only eat oysters which have firmly closed shells and also feel heavy.
Oyster fritters.
Pouch six oysters per person in the own juices and then let them cool in there own juice. Drain then dry in a little kitchen paper. Season the oysters in a little chopped garlic and lemon juice.
Mix a pakora batter; with 1 clove of garlic chopped fine, 15 grams parsley chopped fine, 70 ml water and 70 grams Gram flour. Whisk all ingredients together and season lightly.
Lightly flour the oysters, dip in the batter and fry till crisp in very hot oil, Serve simply with lemon wedges.
Grilled oysters
Open six oysters per person.
Mix 50 grams fine breadcrumbs with a finely chopped clove of garlic, 20 grams melted butter and a tablespoon full of chopped parsley. Place a teaspoon full of the breadcrumb mix on top of each oyster and grill under a hot grill until golden.
Angels on Horseback
An old classic but still a great dish; remove 12 oysters from the shells and wrap each one in a slice of Collerans or some other Galway produced streaky bacon. Skewer each wrapped oyster with a wooden toothpick and grill under a hot grill until the bacon is cooked. Serve with hot buttered toast.
Of course you can also enjoy Oysters at Oscars bistro in Galways Westend
