More fun with shellfish! I’ve been loving all the nostalgic memories of my childhood flooding back, cooking oysters by the campfire, dropping the crab trap and waiting “patiently” for the ENTIRE DAY to see what we may have for dinner, fishing, prawning… you name it, we did it.
As time goes on though, we evolve. Now, I kayak to gulf islands with my friends and smoke salmon out of lost-and-found bricks (because why the heck NOT?!). Or I grow a garden with my loved ones and create a beautiful roast veggie dish. Or I go to my local blueberry field and fill my freezer full of locally grown blueberries. Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE to fish and drop a crab trap now and then, but I don’t do it NEARLY enough or as much as I did once upon a time! So it’s been fun going to the local fish market (shout out to Finest at Sea for always having knowledgeable staff and such great variety with great pricing!) and getting what’s fresh and available to use locally right now!
BUT FIRST let’s talk HEALTH BENEFITS. Shellfish are awesome way to support mental cognition and neurological health. Here’s why:
- They’re rich in Vitamins B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B12 (cobalamin), C and D
- LOADED in Minerals like Zinc, Iron, Selenium, Phosphorus and Copper
- HIGH in protein and Omega-3 fatty acids
- BOOSTS dopamine levels
- NATURAL aphrodisiac 😏
- HELLO HAPPY HEALTHY BRAIN!
INGREDIENTS
- 24ish whole oysters, with shells on
- 1/4 cup grass-fed butter or ghee
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped very finely (try parsley, oregano, sage, mint…)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan (optional)
- 2 tbsp white wine (optional)
- 1 lemon or 1 drop of your favourite DoTERRA food grade essential oil to serve (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Turn on your BBQ and make sure it gets to a hot temperature – around 400°F
- While the BBQ is warming up, check all oysters to ensure they are all closed and none have open. If they have opened, discard as they are no longer edible. If all look good, place them directly onto the grill with the tops facing up. Close the lid and cook for 5 – 7 minutes as you make your compound butter!
- Take all of the remaining ingredients and blend together in a small bowl. I like to save some extra parmesan and fresh herbs to top at the end.
- Once the oysters start to pop open and their juices start to spew out, carefully remove them from the grill with either a safe glove or tongs – try to save the juices in their shell if possible!
- Wrap your oyster in a cloth and use your oyster shucker to pry open the tops to completely remove. The shells well be hot so be careful! Take a large teaspoon full of compound butter and place it on-top of the oyster in its shell. Place the oyster back onto the grill and top with any extra cheese you may like. Cook with the lid closed for another 2 – 5 min or until golden brown on the edges.
- Once done, serve with parsley sprinkled on top and lemon wedge on the side!
NOTES
- If you don’t have an oyster shucker, no problem! I’ve always used a dull knife or a screwdriver and it’s worked just fine just BE CAREFUL! Wrap in a cloth and use gloves if you feel uncomfortable!
- If you don’t want to handle the oysters when they’re hot, you can shuck them first and then just put them directly on the BBQ with the compound butter added at that point! I cook them whole first because it makes it easier for me to shuck them 🙂
- Some oysters cannot be consumed raw! I usually LOVE raw oysters however, these types could not be consumed raw! So I came up with this fun recipe for them 🙂 be sure to check with your local fish market on the types of shellfish you’re buying!
With love,
Heidi MacAulay
“Eat more plants. Do more yoga. Read more books.”