Oyster! Oyster! Oyster!

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oyster mushroom, oyster plant, pickled oyster recipe, served in a bowl
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Every now and again I am struck in the forehead with the idea for a dish; this one came to me while stuck in traffic on Highway 50, two years ago. I dubbed the dish “Oyster, Oyster, Oyster,” and immediately set about making it. It’s taken me forever to perfect it, but finally I have something I would be proud to serve anyone.

The genesis of “Oyster, Oyster, Oyster” comes from my habit of growing odd vegetables, things many of my fellow gardeners have either considered useless or have never even heard about. It’s like the old saying about the produce aisle, where you’re supposed to buy one thing each week you’ve never eaten before — only my produce aisle is, for the most part, either the natural world around me, or my garden.

That’s how I came to plant scorzonera. Never heard of scorzonera? It’s like salsify, only with black skin. Still not helpful? How about its other name, oyster plant? Still nothing? No worries, it’s not the most popular plant in the produce section.

That is a shame. Having now eaten it, I can say the world is less of a place because we eat so little oyster plant — and that oyster plant is less of a vegetable, at least in most people’s eyes, because of the dolt who named it such. Whoever he was ought to be punched dead in the face.

Think on it. “Hey Holly, want some oyster plant?” What would you say? That I want to eat a plant that tastes like an oyster? Or worse, eat a plant with the consistency of an oyster? Fer chrissakes, who the hell in his right mind would ever want to put something like that in his mouth?

I can fix it: I now christen this skinny, homely root “Artichoke Heart Plant.” There. It’s done. I have waved my magic wand, drawn the pentagram, given alms to the saints and sacrificed the goat. Why the new name? Because scorzonera, salsify or whatever, really tastes far more like an artichoke heart than anything else I have ever eaten. Other than artichoke hearts, that is.

If you like artichoke hearts, seek out salsify. Or scorzonera. Or oyster plant. And when you find or grow some, there are any number of things to do with it. I decided to boil the roots with a few potatoes, mash them with butter, milk and thyme, then roll the mash in egg and panko breadcrumbs and call it a croquette.

Salsify croquettes rock. I could have eaten three of them. Light, creamy, and full of salsify goodness. Or is that Artichoke Heart Plant goodness? You decide. My original dish also had oyster mushrooms and a weird greenish sauce made from pureed oysters. Thus, “Oyster, Oyster, Oyster.” It tasted good, but it was ugly. Really ugly.

First rendition of the salsify, oyster and oyster mushroom recipe
Photo by Hank Shaw

This presentation just didn’t do justice to the concept of the dish I had in my head. It was close, but needed a lot of work.

One of my problems with the initial dish was the actual oysters: They were huge, too big to place on top of the croquette. And I tried to pickle them, but that made things worse. They tasted like giant, acidic globs of snot. That’s why I buzzed them in a blender. The surprise was that they actually tasted good as a sauce.

 

finished oyster mushrooms, salsify croquette, poached oyster recipe
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

So, for the redux I decided to make everything smaller. Smaller croquette, smaller oyster mushrooms, smaller oyster. If you don’t like the idea, blame Thomas Keller, whose philosophy that a dish ought to only have a couple of bites  — any more and your palate gets fatigued — has taken a hold of me in recent years.

The seared oyster mushrooms serve as a bed for the oyster shell that holds everything else; without a bed of some sort, the shell will teeter on the plate. I then gently poached a small oyster in butter to top the croquette. A single borage flower adds some needed color and, if you concentrate while eating it, you will pick up its cucumber-like flavor.

I think it’s one of the most beautiful dishes I’ve ever come up with, and, so far as I know, it is original — a rare thing these days.

oyster mushroom, oyster plant, pickled oyster recipe
5 from 3 votes

Oyster, Oyster, Oyster

As fancy as this dish looks, really the hardest part of it is finding the salsify: You can find it in specialty groceries in fall through spring. Scorzonera is a black-skinned variety. You can also buy salsify seeds and grow your own. There is no real substitute if you want to really have the three "oysters" in the dish, but a mashed potato croquette will look and taste fine. Use small oysters and small oyster mushrooms here, if you can. This is supposed to be an appetizer, or one course in a many-coursed meal.
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Author: Hank Shaw
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound salsify or scorzonera root
  • A lemon
  • 1/2 pound white potatoes (they must be white)
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup whole milk or cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • Oil for frying (Canola, peanut or vegetable)
  • 1 pound oyster mushrooms
  • 4 oysters in their shells
  • 4 borage flowers, or other small, edible flower

Instructions 

  • Scrub the oyster shells well with a brush to remove all grit and dirt. Squeeze the lemon into a large bowl of cold water, and bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Peel the salsify (oyster plant, scorzon…you know what I mean…) one at a time and put each root into the water. When you’re done, cut each root into short discs and put into the boiling water.
  • Peel the potatoes, cut into pieces roughly the same size as the oyster plant and add them to the boiling water — this method ensures that both are soft at about the same time. Boil both veggies for 30 minutes or so; the salsify will take longer to soften than the potatoes.
  • Meanwhile, shuck the oysters over a bowl, letting the juice fall into the bowl. Set the oysters in a small bowl in the fridge. Strain the oyster juice through a paper towel into a small pot. Add 5 tablespoons of butter to the pot and melt over low heat.
  • When the salsify and potatoes are ready, mash with 1 tablespoon butter, thyme and a little of the milk or cream: You want the mash to be pretty solid, not super smooth or wet. Form the mashed salsify and potatoes into small discs. Dip into the beaten egg and then into the panko bread crumbs (you really do want panko breadcrumbs, which are very coarse; it’s a texture thing.) and be gentle, as this is not a very solid mass.
  • Get enough oil to reach up about 1/2 of an inch up the sides of a frying pan, and begin heating it to 350 degrees. You'll know the oil is hot enough when a pinch of flour sizzles immediately. Slide the croquettes gently into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook the other side. When they’re all a lovely golden brown, drain the croquettes on a rack.
  • Heat another saute pan over high heat for 1 minute, then add the oyster mushrooms. Shake the pan constantly so the mushrooms don't stick until they sizzle and begin to release their water. Sprinkle salt over the mushrooms. When most of the water is gone, add the remaining butter and saute until the mushrooms begin to brown. When they are nicely browned, turn off the heat.
  • Turn the heat back onto the melted butter-oyster juice pot. When it begins to sizzle, turn off the heat and slip in the oysters. Remove after 1-2 minutes, or when the edges curl. Salt them lightly. To serve, place some oyster mushrooms down on the plate, then top with the clean bottom part of the oyster shell. Put the croquette in the shell, then top with the poached oyster and finally with a single borage flower.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

 

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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27 Comments

  1. In German Schwarzwurzel (black root). Going out of favor. Poor people dish with lots of work cleaning. But I read more popular In France. Love it, but rare to get in CA.

  2. Now that sounds like a dish I can get behind! I have never grown it, but I have been very curious about oyster plant, not despite, but rather because oysters are one of my most favorite foods. I have to give this one a try.

    So how did you come to know the taste of a gigantic acidic glob of…..well maybe I don’t really want to know.

    Thanks for yet another inspiration.

  3. I didn’t see you mention what kind of oysters, or where you sourced yours from. On the central coast of Oregon, I am only aware of Yaquina Bay oysters that are farmed (you have to have a license to farm them, no wild harvesting allowed as I recall). Just wondering if you have a preference for this recipe.

  4. Baltimore Mike: I also grow jerusalem artichokes. Still have a few in cold storage, actually…

    Nick: There are several varieties of eggplant that are in fact white and the size of an egg. The question is, did the eggplant get its name from this variety, or did someone breed an eggplant variety to look like an egg?

    Stella: Yep, goat’s beard is another name for it. We have two varieties that grow wild in the US, both are imports from Europe: One has yellow flowers, one has purple-lavender flowers.

  5. Im back with my quick research findings! Here in MN we call salsify (which Ive never heard of), Yellow Goats Beard. Doh!
    Ill be harvesting some of it as soon as Mother nature puts it forth. Now I have to correct my last post and say there is a very good possibility that this pretty little dish will hit my families table.

  6. Well, that is a downright lovely presentation!
    Im sure Ill never make it but I sure would eat it. You have inspired me to grow this sal…sal…salsify plant. And maybe look into the scor…scor…scorzonera.
    Just when I think I know so much…I cant believe what a bubble I live in!

    The article was very entertaining, as are the comments. Not only can you cook but its fun to read.

  7. That is an absolutely stunning dish.

    I must say I’ve never tried oyster plant, but I agree it needs a name change.

    That said, there are some popular veggies with names that make no sense to me like…

    Eggplant: Why? I guess it kinds of shaped like a large egg, but Purple Wonder Fruit has a much nicer ring to it.

  8. I grew salsify in my garden plot the last few years and I absolutely agree that it tastes more like artichoke hearts than oysters. I’m amazed that more people don;t grow it, but that’s their loss. I only wish I found it for sale at more organic groceries and farmers markets. Thanks god it’s dead easy to grow!

    I also noticed that when I did grow and harvest it, I didn’t find that many recipes on line.. Mostly mashed with potatoes or cooked as some casserole.

    Another tasty veg. is sun chokes, or Jerusalem artichokes .. also in the aster family.

  9. The first year at my house I found this beautiful grass-like plant with purple flowers growing in various spots in our yard. Little did I know it was salsify growing wild. I got some seed while I was in the UK (where apparently it’s more popular) and tried planting it this year with no luck. I did, however, find 4″ potted plants of it at my local nursery.

    I haven’t tried it yet because honestly the name “oyster plant” scared the begeebus out of me. Thanks for this post! Now I won’t be scared of it any longer.

  10. “Giant, acidic gobs of snot” wow, that’s brutal honesty!

    Definitely a unique creation there. Wish I could try it.

  11. Normally not a shroom man Hank, but this dish made my mouth water just reading about it.
    Got to try and get the Mrs. to attempt preparing for me one night soon, when she has time of course!

  12. oh, I thought maybe the third item would be mountain oyster or Rockies oyster or whatever name beef testicles go by in your side of the world…

    I just love the oyster dish Hank. It’s giving me ideas for similar named dishes where only one of the ingredients truly is what the dish say they are (although that’s their name): you know, artichokes, Jerusalem artichokes and ????
    or chicken, chicken of the woods and chickweed….

  13. I am growing cardoon because I love artichoke heart. Hey, I’ve been thinking about wild-gathering my own salsify, which is basically a roadside weed (gotta love the Asteraceae). Glad to have a use for it (besides pickles) at the ready.

  14. Sarah & Aaron: Lots of seed companies sell it, and you don’t want to plant “artichoke heart plant” until August or September anyway, so you have time.

    Sportingdays Girl: Actually the inspiration for the title is the code word for the attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II; yeah, I’m a geek. As for when I post, NTSC has it right, although I try to post twice a week.

    Oh, and Caz, you’ll get yours, don’t worry… 😉

  15. Sportingdays girl, I think it was Van Halen’s “Tora Tora Tora.” Oh, wait, there were only two toras in that song. Oh well.

    Either way, I wouldn’t know because Hank made this when I was OUT OF TOWN. He owes me now.

  16. I think that he posts on the standard non-daily bloging schedule of: “whenever I feel like it”.

    As with sushi I was introduced to oysters in a situation where I had to eat them or lose face to the girl I was hoping to get lucky with. In both cases I both liked the item and got lucky.

  17. Does one listen to “Tony Toni Tone” while prepping in the kitchen for “Oyster Oyster Oyster?”
    2nd question: Hank, do you post on a schedule that readers can go by? I’m sure I could track it to find out, but easier to ask. Or simply when inspiration strikes?

  18. We continue to be amazed, entertained, inspired and left wondering every time we dip into the marvels of your kitchen. Tonight we are left wondering where on earth we can get some “artichoke heart plant” for our garden.

  19. That sounds pretty danged tasty to me! Of course, I love oysters, and had high hopes that the scorzonera would offer some of that flavor… although I also love artichoke hearts, so it all works out.

    Wish I had the patience to make some of this really slow food… having enjoyed your table, I do know what I’m missing.