A Museum After My Own Heart & Palate

This is truly unfair. Not only is it being demonstrated at a venue that's just not do-able for me at the moment, not only is it the kind of recipe that I simply never get around to playing with because I'm the only one at home who'll enjoy it, but it's made of two of my most favorite things in life: oysters and mushrooms.

I signed up for mailings from the Southern Food & Beverage Museum mostly because I want to support the rebuilding of New Orleans in whatever way possible. I get their stuff -- I read it, I dream, I can't attend their events, I delete the emails.
But THIS...

If you're in the NOLA area this weekend, step on in this Saturday, January 31 at 2PM to watch Chef Tenney Flynn, executive chef and co-owner of GW Fins, prepare some classics like half-shell oysters with caviar, oyster stew, pickled oysters, and this:

GW Fins Oyster and Mushroom Tart

3-2-1 Pastry Dough

3 lbs.  Soft Flour

1 lb.  Lard, Cold, Cut in ¼ inch dice

1lb. Butter, Cut in ¼ inch dice

2 cups Very Cold Water

1. Cut lard into flour to the texture of course crumbs
2. Mix in butter, leaving small pieces the size of peas
3. Add cold water, stir to gather – portion into 1 pound discs, dredge in the flour and refridgerate at least four hours or overnight (this will minimize shrinking)
4. Roll onto a floured board in a cool place.  Cut to fit small tart pans or shallow brulee dishes.  Line the containers with buttered parchment and place the dough inside, fluting the edges.  Chill and dock the bottom and sides with a fork.
5. Refridgerate one hour and bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.  If the dough bubbles up during cooking, press it back down with your fingers. 

Hold at room temperature. 

Mixed Mushrooms

1 lb. Oyster Mushrooms

½ lb. Shitake Mushrooms

1 oz.  Dried Porcini, reconstituted with ½ cup warm water

2 Tbs Shallots

2 Tbs. White Wine

2 tsp. Fines Herbs (70% parsley, 20% chervil, 10% chives, chopped)

2 Tbs. Brandy

4 oz. Butter

2 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

      Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method to Cook

1. Sweat shallots in oil and butter, raise heat and add shitakes, saute for 2 minutes, add reconstituted porcinis, and then oyster mushrooms.  Cook stirring often for 2-3 minutes.  Add white wine, reduce to dry.  Add brandy, salt, pepper and fines herbs.  Reserve warm.

 

Crumbs

1 cup Course French Bread Crumbs

2 Tbs. Butter

1 Tbs. Diced Shallots

1 tsp. Diced Garlic

1 tsp. Fresh Thyme leaves, chopped

      Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Sweat the shallots and garlic in the butter with the thyme for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the bread crumbs to coat.  Season with Salt and pepper.

 

Sauce

2 cups Oyster Liquor

2 oz. Demi Glace

2 Tbs. Dark Roux

1 Tbs. Shallots, Diced

2 oz. White Wine

1 Tbs. Fines Herbs

2 Tbs. Butter 

1. Sweat shallots in butter, deglaze with white wine.  Add oyster liquor, bring to a boil and whisk in dark roux to tighten to a heavy consistency.
2. Add demi glace, seasoning and herbs.  Remove.

 

To Assemble Tart

40 Fresh Louisiana Oysters – 5 Per Tart 

1. Heat 4 oz. sautéed mushrooms, add 2 oz. oyster sauce.  Bring to a simmer and add oysters and cook until edges start to curl.
2. Spoon this mixture into a pre-heated tart shell placing oysters on top.
3. Sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs and serve with demi glace.

Southern Food & Beverage Museum admission is required. SoFAB is a nonprofit organization based in New Orleans, dedicated to the discovery, understanding and celebration of the culture of food and drink in the South.

And lord lord... if you have a chance to try the recipe, tell me how you like dat, cher.