All about oysters: myths, truths and directions

Companies that oysters they have always been synonymous with luxury. Even in appearance they resemble a jewel kept in a safe. On the outside, a rough and (why not say it?) Unpleasant-looking shell. Inside, a bright and clean delicacy whose flavor is pure sea. There is a before and after eating oysters for the first time.

You either love them or you hate them. In any case, it is one of the most exquisite ingredients on the planet, with a endless nuances depending on where it is grown and refined. Knowing everything about them is an impossible task, but there are some Essential notions, directions and tips to enjoy this mollusk in the most gourmet way.

How and when to eat oysters

The Romans used to eat oysters seasoned with garum, a specialty made from viscera and fermented pieces of fish, and Louis XIV of France is said to have been a great devourer of this delicatessen.

What we eat from oysters is their body, made up mainly of the reproductive and digestive organs wrapped in a fleshy, slippery fabric. Oysters can be eaten all year round, although tradition advises taking advantage of the colder months (those with ‘r’, that is, from September to April). Must bought alive, with the shells closed or that are closed by touching them and carefully checking their “pedigree” to avoid bad surprises.

Once open, they must be filled with water and a subtle smell of the sea. The lightest and most traditional gastronomic formula: raw and fresh, a little bit of white pepper, lemon, vinegar and shallot, butter and rye bread. Another way to eat them, the most direct and simple, is breathing in the sea-flavored water. It is essential to chew them before ingesting them.

European or Asian: which one do I prefer?

There are several types of oysters and, how could it be otherwise, each one has its point. The edible deprived it is also known as oyster European, has a shape flat and a mild flavor with a mineral touch.

La Mediterranean oyster and Olympia oyster they are other types of flat oyster. The Crassostrea gigas is the Asian oyster, with a shape concave and a more fruity taste. There are also the Crassostrea virginica, the American oyster, concave in shape and vegetal nuance.

La Ostra portuguesa (Crassostrea angulata), also concave, would be a direct descendant of the Asian oysters that came to our continent four or five centuries ago from China and Taiwan.

To save energy and not make a mess, you have to keep two in mind, the european and asian, which are easier for us to deal with on this side of the world. Within each variety, there are countless nuances depending on the geographical area, environmental and climatic characteristics, age, size and the breeding and refining processes.

The best oysters

Oysters are classified on a scale of 0 to 5 based on their size, with 0 corresponding to the largest and 5 to the smallest.

Size 4 and 5 are generally used for industry. Those of 2 and 3 represent almost all of the marketed oysters and are considered the most balanced between quality and price. Those of size 0 and 1, the “longest” and largest, are the most exclusive.

In addition, it is necessary to distinguish between the rearing of the others and the later phase of refining, when they are withdrawn from the sea and moved to the clearings, flooded areas where they receive a specific diet, generally based on algae.

One of the most expensive varieties marketed by the casa francesa TOP Amélie It is the Pousse en Claire size 1, refined for at least four months in the clear with a density of 5 to 10 oysters / m² (that is, very low) and a filling index greater than 12 (that is, very fleshy). 24 units of this variety cost 199 euros.

Why should we eat oysters?

Because they are a delicacy and the quintessence of luxury, but also because of their nutritional profile. Oysters are an important source of iodine, protein, mineral such as iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, they provide water to the body and are low in fat. A few more reasons to be tempted from time to time.

Jordi Cruz’s blue oyster

The fact that oysters are a pure delicacy, that they do not need cooking or seasoning, does not mean that they cannot be versatile, in the kitchen. In ABaC, for example, the temple of chef Jordi Cruz in Barcelona, ​​which has 3 Michelin stars, it serves a 0stra «blue» and crispy violet potato fry with freeze-dried oysters. This dish has just been added to the summer menu.

In Aponiente, a daring proposal with a taste of the sea

When it comes to the infinite pantry of the sea, Aponiente is an essential address. Also awarded with 3 Michelin stars, this restaurant is located in an old tidal mill in El Puerto de Santa María and focuses, from the beginning, its extraordinary gastronomic proposal on the sea. Among the dishes of the new menus (there are two: Calm sea, which costs 190 euros and the great menu Swell, which costs 220 euros), is the Grilled Oyster: local oyster iodine foam with plankton (microalgae) and smoked and grilled touches.

Oyster and hunting: the challenge of Casa Gerardo

To the natural; with tomato and tabasco water; emulsified pickled, broccoli and pistachios; with sauce of anchovies and pipes and finally stewed in pitu juice, corn bread and red onion.

The Asturian restaurant Casa Gerardo, a reference in the national gastronomic scene, reserves a whole section of its oyster menu.

Among its most daring combinations is the plate Oyster and game, with hare juice with cumin, thyme and tarragon, cucumber skin marinated in salt and plankton and cucumber juice and seaweed. A game of balance between the oyster, which is incorporated into the natural dish, and the game.

The most exclusive oyster, in Tickets

Gastronomic amusement park under the seal of the hbrothers Adrià, Tickets is another fun address where you can taste oysters.

In recent days, in fact, his Instagram account has been filled with a spectacular compilation of all the dishes based on other that have come out of his kitchen since 2011. Here they are served natural, with purple shiso vinegar and tapioca, in traditional pickle and saffron and with Tucupí (yucca broth).

La ostra Enigma It is an oyster that casa Amelie elaborates exclusively for the group elBarri, to which this restaurant belongs. It is an oyster raised in extremely cold waters and very well fed, until obtaining a specimen of small size but very fleshy.

With a sip of Cristal, the champagne of luxury

The others are usually accompanied by a good dry white wine, but the ideal drink is champagne: a classic pairing, which can become a luxurious experience.

Glass It is one of the most exclusive champagnes on the market. It is made by the French house Louis Roederer and its history has a lot to do with its suggestive name. In 1876 Alexander II of Russia, fascinated with the quality of Champagnes from Mr. Roederer, commissioned an exclusive one for the royal house.

Your bottle it had to be transparent glassThat is why it is called like that, and with a flat bottom (it is usually concave) in order to prevent any threat, such as a bomb or poison, from hiding in it, for the life of the Tsar.

Cristal is made only in the years of exceptional harvests, with grapes Chardonnay y Pinot noir. The 2008 one, which was launched recently in Spain, costs 218 euros. The Limited edition of Cristal Jeroboam 2002, designed by the French Phillippe Di Méo and encased in a 24 carat gold mesh, sells for about 20.000 euros.

Where to buy oysters

Pescaderías Coruñesas is an essential address to buy fresh fish and seafood.

This Madrid fishmonger, where we can find both fresh and packaged products, preserves and sushi, has been dedicated to excellent seafood for more than a century.

It also has a Online store thanks to which it is possible to acquire the best genre without having to move.

Currently in e-shop we can buy two varieties of oysters, the Belon flat and the French house Gillardeau, considered one of the best in the world. Nails 24 units touch 80 euros. They are served fully closed or pre-open, opening a fissure on about two sides, so that it is easier to open them at home.

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