by Edward Lee
Serve the sandwiches with a bag of your favorite potato chips and bottles of Centennial IPA from Founder’s Brewing Company. / Makes 4 sandwiches
Spicy Mayo
1 cup mayonnaise, preferably Duke’s
2 minced fresh Thai chile peppers
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
Pear-Ginger-Cilantro Slaw
1 Asian pear, cored and cut into matchsticks (about 1½ cups)
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro sprigs (leaves and tender stems)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (use a Microplane)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tempura Batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg white
1 cup seltzer
Vegetable oil for frying
Four 4-ounce trout fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Four 6-inch pieces French baguette
1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce, leaves separated
1To make the mayo: Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
2To make the slaw: Combine the pear, bean sprouts, cilantro, ginger, vinegar, and fish sauce in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Taste. Is it sweet and crunchy? Good. Let it rest for a bit in the refrigerator while you fry your fish.
3To make the tempura batter: Combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the egg white and seltzer until a pancake-like batter forms. Do not overwhisk; small lumps are okay.
4Heat ½ inch of oil to 375°F in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Season both sides of the trout fillets with salt and pepper. Dip 2 fillets into the tempura batter to coat evenly, letting the excess drip off, and fry in the oil, turning once or twice, until golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. The crust should be golden and flaky and the fish still moist inside. Keep the first batch warm, and repeat with the remaining trout.
5To assemble the sandwiches: Using a serrated knife, split the baguette pieces lengthwise in half. Spread some spicy mayo on both sides of each piece of bread. Layer the lettuce on the bottoms of the bread, then top with the trout and slaw. Gently cover with the other halves of baguette and serve.
Pan-Fried Catfish in Bacon Vinaigrette
Farmed catfish has come a long way, and it’s far from being muddy or mealy. Today’s catfish is clean and downright delicate. So I don’t like to blacken catfish—a quick panfry is more than enough. Grapes and bacon are great paired with catfish; they’re just assertive enough to make a statement but subtle enough not to overpower it.
For a delicious light summer meal, serve this after a first course of Yellow Squash Soup with Cured Strawberries (page 190). / Feeds 4
bacon Vinaigrette
3 strips thick-sliced bacon, finely diced
1 shallot, minced
10 ounces red seedless grapes (1½ cups)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Creole mustard
4 skinless catfish fillets (about 4 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
Garnish
Chopped fresh thyme
Sliced red seedless grapes
1To make the vinaigrette: Place the bacon in a medium skillet and cook over high heat until the fat is beginning to render, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon and shallots are browned and crispy, another 5 minutes.
2Meanwhile, place the grapes in a blender and pulse until they are crushed and juiced but still a coarse puree, 10 to 15 pulses.
3Add the pureed grapes to the skillet and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add the thyme, vinegar, and mustard, turn the heat to low, stir gently, and simmer for 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and keep the vinaigrette warm until ready to serve.
4Season the catfish fillets with a little salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over high heat. When the butter starts to smoke, add the catfish to the skillet. Cook on the first side for 3 minutes, then gently flip the catfish, lower the heat to medium, and cook the catfish for another 3 minutes, until crispy on the other side and cooked all the way through. Remove from the heat.
5Ladle a few tablespoons of the bacon vinaigrette into the bottom of each of four warm shallow bowls. Place the catfish in the bowls, garnish with chopped thyme and a few slices of grapes, and serve immediately.
Seafood Boil
Charleston is one of the most beautiful waterfront cities on the East Coast. Whenever I’m there, I try to get invited to a Lowcountry seafood boil. There’s nothing complicated about it. A seafood boil is all about abundance, lots of libations, and eating with your hands. I host seafood boils all summer long here in Louisville, and every one is a little different.
At first I was going to call this recipe Kentucky Seafood Boil, but really the only thing Kentucky about it is that I suggest you drink bourbon during the meal. Of course, you can drink whatever you want with it; just make sure you have fun. The most important ingredient of the meal is good company, so choose your invitees carefully. And make sure it’s a sunny day—the mess is too much to eat indoors! Line a picnic table with newspaper and dump the boil out onto it. Have plenty of lobster crackers on hand for opening the crabs.
You can serve this with fresh lemon wedges, sea salt, hot sauce, drawn butter, Okra Tempura (page 196), Quick Caraway Pickles (page 173), and/or Lardo Cornbread (page 208) on the side. I like to open an abundance of drinks for my guests to choose from: Portuguese whites, ten-year-old bourbons, a clean pilsner, and loads of sweet tea. / Feeds 8 to 10
Spice Bag
3 tablespoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground sumac
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
6 quarts water
2 lemons, halved
6 garlic cloves
1 cup bourbon
½ cup sea salt
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed
6 ears corn, shucked and cut into 1-inch-thick wheels
1 pound pork sausages
1 pound jumbo shrimp in the shell, head on if you can find them
4 whole blue crabs
8 ounces littleneck clams, scrubbed
8 ounces mussels, scrubbed and debearded if necessary
1To make the spice bag: Wrap all the spices in a coffee filter or a piece of cheesecloth and tie tightly with kitchen twine.
2Bring the water to a boil in the largest pot you have, at least a 10-gallon pot. Add the spice bag, lemon halves, garlic, bourbon, salt, and paprika, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3Add the potatoes and corn and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sausages, shrimp, crabs, clams, and mussels, bring to a boil, and boil until the sausages are cooked, the clams and mussels have opened (discard any unopened ones), and the potatoes and corn are tender, another 10 to 12 minutes.
4Lift out the vegetables, sausages, and seafood and dump onto a table covered with layers of newspaper.
Sumac is a spice ground from the berries of a shrub. It has a mild tart-lemony flavor and is popular in Midd
le Eastern cuisine.
Southern-Bred Oysters
The last two regions on the planet to rely heavily on wild oyster harvests are the Gulf of Mexico and the Chesapeake Bay. Sadly, the Chesapeake oyster trade began tipping toward failure in the 1980s, and the Gulf’s business is now on the ropes as well. Other areas decimated their populations of wild oysters hundreds of years ago. Oystermen in New York, for instance, have had to bring schooners full of Chesapeake Bay oysters to drop into the Long Island Sound to “finish” as bluepoints since the early 1900s. And the Gold Rush and ensuing demand and overharvesting resulted in Olympia oysters disappearing from the San Francisco Bay by the turn of the twentieth century as well. Fortunately, the Gulf and the Chesapeake Bay are just so massive that they were able to continue with harvest after harvest for quite a long time. Now they are both in a fragile state, and there is more at stake than just oyster beds: there are history and tradition, communities, and livelihoods.
Travis and Ryan Croxton run an oyster farming company along the Rappahannock River in eastern Virginia that is leading a movement to bring wildlife and clean waters back to the Chesapeake Bay with the Crassostrea virginica, the original Chesapeake Bay oyster. My two favorites of theirs are the Rappahannock River oysters and the Olde Salts. They are clean varietal oysters that are as good raw as they are baked, and they make a wonderful base for layering citrus and buttery notes on top.
Geographical identification of oysters is a recent trend and has made certain places in the Pacific Northwest and Cape Cod synonymous with sexy oysters. Along the Gulf Coast, most of the oysters are sold under the generic classification of “Gulf oysters,” with the exception of the famous oysters from the Apalachicola Bay on the Florida Panhandle. Texas, with its great oyster beds off the Galveston coast, is also starting a movement to designate region-specific oysters from the Gulf. All of this excitement and awareness is ensuring that there will remain a vibrant oyster community in the South to rival the reputation of the cold-water oysters in the North.
Raw Oysters with Rhubarb Mignonette
As soon as rhubarb starts to sprout in the spring, I am all about this recipe. We are lucky to have an abundance of rhubarb around Louisville. The tartness of rhubarb is too much for some, but I’m a huge fan. It’s sublime with the brininess of oysters. / Makes 2 dozen oysters
rhubarb mignonette
¼ cup champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup chopped rhubarb, plus 2 teaspoons minced (see note)
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons minced shallots
¼ teaspoon fish sauce
Sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 dozen of your favorite oysters, scrubbed, shucked, and left on the half shell
1To make the mignonette: In a small saucepan, warm the vinegar, water, chopped rhubarb, and sugar; do not let it come to a boil. When the vinegar is just hot to the touch, about 2 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rhubarb steep for 30 minutes. The vinegar will have a vibrant pink hue from the rhubarb.
2Strain the vinegar into a small bowl and chill it completely in the refrigerator; discard the cooked rhubarb.
3Add the minced rhubarb, the shallots, fish sauce, salt to taste, and pepper to the chilled vinegar.
4Arrange the oysters on a bed of ice, and drizzle the mignonette over them, or serve it in small ramekins on the side.
Rhubarb should be bright pink to red; don’t use green rhubarb, which has been picked too early. Rhubarb leaves are poisonous, and usually they are trimmed off before it goes to market, but in case you find some at a farmers’ market, be sure to remove and discard the leaves before using.
Warmed Oysters with Bourbon Brown Butter
I like to cook oysters outdoors in my brick oven, but you can cook them in your kitchen oven as long as you can get it really hot—like 500°F. After I pull the oysters from the oven, I shuck them in front of the gathering crowd. I always keep a few extra oyster knives on hand, and people love to join in. It’s fun, and oysters right out of the oven are heavenly. I think this is the best way to eat: getting your hands dirty with a bunch of people around you all wanting to get dirty too. / Feeds 4 to 6
Enough rock salt to cover the bottom of a large cast-iron skillet
Bourbon Brown Butter
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup bourbon
A few drops of fresh lemon juice
12 oysters, scrubbed
Garnish
Grated zest of 2 limes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1Turn the oven to as high as it will go. Spread a layer of rock salt in a large cast-iron skillet and heat in the oven for at least 15 minutes.
2Meanwhile, make the brown butter: Warm the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to foam, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and cook until the butter begins to turn brown and a nutty aroma wafts through the air, about another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to incorporate the milk solids (they’re full of flavor), then very slowly add the bourbon to the butter. It will bubble up violently. Stir in the lemon juice, skim off the foam, and keep warm until ready to serve.
3Arrange the oysters on the hot salt. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes. The oysters are ready when you see a slight bubbling coming out of the sides of the shells. When you bend down to grab the skillet, you should smell the mouthwatering aroma of gently simmering oyster juices.
4The top shells of the cooked oysters should easily pop off with an oyster knife: Remove the top shells and place the oysters back onto the salt bed in their bottom shells. Serve with the warm brown butter drizzled on top or on the side. Garnish with the lime zest and chopped cilantro.
The shells will be too hot to handle right out of the oven, so make sure you have a kitchen towel to hold the oysters. These are only good hot, so put them in the oven right before you are ready to serve.
Cornmeal-Fried-Oyster Lettuce Wraps
Oyster lettuce wraps are always a hit at cocktail parties, and I always run out. There’s something about the combination of the umami-rich country ham and the warm oysters that takes this to another place. True Bibb lettuce has an earthiness to it that is unique. They say it comes from the limestone-rich soil of Kentucky. If you can’t find Bibb lettuce, Boston or butter lettuce is a fine substitute. / Makes 4 wraps
caviar Mayo
¼ cup mayonnaise, preferably Duke’s
1 ounce spoonbill caviar (see Resources, page 279)
A few drops of fresh lemon juice
Canola oil for frying
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup fine cornmeal
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon whole milk
8 oysters, shucked
Kosher salt
4 slices country ham
4 Bibb lettuce leaves
1To make the mayo: Combine the ingredients in a small glass bowl and fold together gently with a rubber spatula or a plastic spoon. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2Heat ½ inch of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat until it reaches 320°F. Meanwhile, place the flour and cornmeal in two separate shallow dishes. Whisk the egg with the water and milk in another shallow bowl. Dredge the oysters in the flour, dip them into the egg wash, letting the excess drip off, and then dredge in cornmeal, turning to coat evenly.
3Fry the oysters, turning once, until golden and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt.
4Place a slice of country ham on each lettuce leaf, top with 2 fried oysters, and roll up or fold into a packet. Spoon a little caviar mayo on top and serve right away.
Spoonbill caviar is sold all throughout
the South. Also known as paddlefish roe, it is the roe of freshwater sturgeon. It has a nice texture and a briny, inky flavor. It’s pricey, but nowhere near the exorbitant levels of Caspian Sea roe. And spoonbill caviar is sustainable, which is crucial for any ingredient that I choose to use in my restaurant.
The Fisherman
The first time I met Bryan Caswell, we were speaking on a panel about southern food in Charleston. Later that evening, I challenged two college kids to a beer-drinking contest—it was a two-liter “boot” of beer. I didn’t have a partner, so I asked Bryan if he’d join me. He didn’t even flinch. We crushed those college boys handily. It is this spirit of adventure that is apparent in everything he does. Bryan is the most avid fisherman I’ve ever met. When he talks about fishing in the Gulf, he is talking from the very depth of his soul.
“I was a fisherman long before I ever got behind a stove. Growing up in Houston, I’ve scoured the Gulf Coast from Apalachicola to Brownsville in search of all manner of fish and shellfish. With its hundreds of edible species, I am still constantly amazed at the diversity and bounty of the Third Coast. The Gulf Coast has the largest wild oyster population left in the world, grass flats and barrier islands as far as the eye can see, the Flower Garden’s amazing coral reefs, and deep-blue ocean depths. From offshore to inshore, there is no place like it on earth, and I’m lucky enough to call it home.”
—Bryan Caswell, chef/owner, Reef, Houston
Pickles & Matrimony