Ina Garten Fried Oysters with Lemon Saffron Aioli

Ina Garten fried oysters with lemon saffron aioli take about 50 minutes and fresh oysters, saffron and garlic to make a crispy, golden appetizer. Try this elegant make-ahead party appetizer for a dinner party or New Year's Eve, since the aioli keeps for 5 days and the frying takes minutes.

Keep the frying batches to 6 to 8 oysters and turn them once, because the oil needs room to hold its heat. Crowd the pot and the temperature drops, so the coating turns greasy instead of crisp.

Ina Garten calls this a long recipe, but she splits it in two so the aioli is done days before guests arrive. She also stirs a spoonful of hot water into the cold aioli right before it goes on the shells, which makes it silky and easy to spoon.

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Fried Oysters with Lemon Saffron Aioli

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: AppetizerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

Saffron-spiked garlic aioli sits in each oyster shell and holds a crunchy panko and cornmeal oyster on top. The coating fries up crisp in about a minute, so the oyster stays tender and juicy inside.

Ingredients

• FOR THE AIOLI:
  

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, at room temperature (see note)
  

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
  

• 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
  

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1 cup good olive oil
  

• 1/2 cup canola oil
  

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
  

• FOR THE OYSTERS:
  

• 20 large, freshly shucked oysters, liquor and rounded bottom shells reserved
  

• Canola oil, for frying (I used 1 1/2 quarts)
  

• 1 extra-large egg
  

• 1/3 cup buttermilk, shaken
  

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  

• 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal, such as Quaker
  

• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)
  

• Pinch of ground cayenne pepper
  

Directions

• Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and line a sheet pan with paper towels. That way the fried oysters stay warm and drain while you work through the batches.
• Make the aioli: Put 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads in a food processor and let them sit for 5 minutes. Then add 2 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and process for 15 seconds.
• Emulsify the oils: Combine 1 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup canola oil in a glass measuring cup. With the machine running, pour the oils through the feed tube very slowly until the mixture is a thick emulsion.
• Finish the aioli: Add 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest and 1 teaspoon water to the aioli and pulse to combine. Zest the lemons before you juice them, since that is far easier than zesting a squeezed lemon.
• Heat the oil: Refrigerate the 20 shucked oysters while you heat the oil. Pour 1 inch of canola oil into a heavy 10-inch pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until it registers 350 degrees.
• Mix the coatings: Whisk the egg, 1/3 cup oyster liquor, the buttermilk and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, panko, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and the cayenne.
• Fill the shells: Place the reserved rounded shells on a serving platter. Put a heaping tablespoon of aioli in each one.
• Fry the oysters: Dip each oyster in the egg mixture, then roll it in the flour mixture. Fry in batches of 6 to 8 for 60 to 90 seconds, turning once, until golden brown. Then lift them out with a wire strainer onto the sheet pan.
• Keep warm and serve: Keep the fried oysters warm in the oven for up to 10 minutes while you fry the rest. Then set one oyster on each aioli-filled shell, sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Zaran Super Negin saffron threads. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make the saffron aioli ahead of time?

Yes, the aioli keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir in a tablespoon of hot water before spooning it onto the shells, since that loosens it up nicely.

Can I use jarred or pre-shucked oysters?

Freshly shucked oysters work best because you need the liquor for the egg mixture and the rounded shells for serving. If you buy them shucked, ask the fishmonger to save both.

How do I keep the oysters crisp while I fry the batches?

Hold the fried oysters on a paper towel-lined sheet pan in a 250 degree oven for up to 10 minutes. Fry only 6 to 8 at a time so the oil stays at 350 degrees.

Do I need a deep fryer for this recipe?

No, a heavy 10-inch pot or Dutch oven with 1 inch of canola oil does the job. A candy thermometer helps you hold the oil at 350 degrees.

What is the most common mistake with fried oysters?

Crowding the pot is the big one, because it cools the oil and the coating turns greasy. Frying in small batches and turning each oyster once gives you a crisp, golden crust.