Fried Oysters with Horseradish Remoulade Sauce

The Steak Knife Restaurant in New Orleans serves the most perfect oyster appetizer!  And that is what I was in the mood for on Saturday night: fat, plump, juicy oysters fried up in a light crispy batter and dipped in a spicy horseradish-y Remoulade sauce that makes your taste buds dance.  This is an easy dish but not one that you can be cavalier about.  You need a big pot of hot peanut oil (350 degrees) and that’s always a challenge.  A good bluetooth food thermometer is extremely helpful because you can monitor the temperature of your oil without having to stand over it the entire time it is heating.  It makes this entire operation a lot safer (you know, I am terrified of having a fire in my kitchen and I go to great pains to avoid the chance).

As for the oysters:  these are P&J oysters from Dorignac’s.  Soak them in buttermilk for half an hour to an hour.  They will be amazingly juicy when you fry them up.

Regarding the oil:  Peanut oil.  Period.

On the issue of the cornmeal crust:  You can mix cornmeal and flour or just buy a pre-seasoned cornmeal mix.  Dorignac’s has a good one.

And as for the dipping sauce: Taste your mayo base as you add the mustard and horseradish and adjust the spices to your preference. I used a lot of Creole mustard and prepared horseradish and a generous TBS. of cayenne pepper.  Let your conscious be your guide.