Recently I traveled over our western border in search of some amazing wines and delightful food. I stumbled (literally) into the Norwood Food and Wine Festival, where I could sample copious amounts of local food prepared by the regions top restaurants, food producers as well as a large selection of South Australian wines.
Everyone who knows me, understands my little weakness for fresh oysters, and whilst in South Australia, I had to sample the finest Oysters in Australia.
Pure Coffin Bay Oysters are grown naturally in the nutrient rich waterways of Coffin Bay. The oysters are not fed at all, they filter feed naturally from the bountiful enriched ocean. Located in the remote, unspoilt and pure waters of Coffin Bay.
As a chef, I often find myself looking for new and different ways to prepare oysters, and have yet to find more than a couple of ways to prepare them aside from straight from the shell.
A great starter for a cocktail party or for an appetizer is to shuck the oyster into a shot glass, cover with a good quality Sake, and then place a small amount of wasabi on top. If you find wasabi a bit warm, maybe try a pinch of black caviar.
Another way is to mix a small piece of grated ginger, 6 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, a small amount of chopped chilli, pinch of sliced coriander and a tsp of sugar. Serve with the oysters in a dipping bowl and some lime wedges.
K.I.S.S (keep it simple stupid) was an acronym I learnt in my early years as a chef in Queensland, so to apply this to oysters. Open a bottle of Oakridge “Over The Shoulder” 2010 Pinot Grigio, cut some lime wedges and enjoy fresh from the shell.
Check out www.coffinbayoysters.com.au/
Happy Shucking and Enjoy
Chef Nathan
