Recipes

Oysters with Spicy Tomato Granité

Lia Fallon

Amarelle - Wading River, NY

Inspired by the recipe for a classic Bloody Mary, the tomato-based ice is a bold garnish for fresh oysters.

Ingredients

  • 6 ripe medium plum tomatoes, halved
  • 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
  • Extra virgin olive oil as needed
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated horseradish
  • 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
  • 1/4 cup vodka
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • Tabasco to taste
  • 2 dozen oysters on the half shell
  • Crème fraîche for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 300°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Arrange the tomato halves cut side up on the prepared sheet. Sprinkle with the shallots and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Generously drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Roast until slightly tender and caramelized, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Place the roasted tomatoes, horseradish, sherry vinegar, vodka, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco in a blender and blend until smooth. (You may need to add a little water to get a smooth consistency.) Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Pour the purée into a 2-inch-deep pan. Chill in the freezer for 2 hours, scraping the mixture with a fork to break up the ice every 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to use.

To serve, place about a 1/2 teaspoon of granité on top of each raw oyster and garnish with a small dollop of crème fraîche.

Freeze the leftover granité for up to a month.

Yield

2 dozen servings