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Barbecued Oysters On Spinach-Red Onion Salad With Bacon-Blue Cheese Dressing
Amador Mora, The Mansion on Turtle Creek

Serves 4

20 large fresh Texas oysters
Mansion Barbecue Spice Mix
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup peanut oil
Spinach-Red Onion Salad
Bacon-Blue Cheese Dressing
Ancho Chili Mayonnaise

Shuck oysters and drain liquid. Combine Mansion Barbecue Spice Mix and flour. Dredge oysters in mixture. Shake off excess.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Fry oysters, 5 at a time, for about 3 minutes per side or until golden. Wipe pan and use fresh oil for each batch. Drain on paper towel. Keep warm.

On each of four salad plates, arrange 5 little mounds of Spinach-Red Onion Salad, allowing about 2 tablespoons per mound, around the outside of each plate. Drizzle Bacon-Blue Cheese Dressing in the center of each plate. Place an oyster on each mound, then streak about 1/2 teaspoon Ancho Chili Mayonnaise on top of each oyster. Serve immediately.

SPINACH-RED ONION SALAD
1 1/2 cups packed fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
1 red onion
1 small carrot
1/4 cup sweetened rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt

Stack spinach leaves together, 5 or 6 leaves thick. Roll into a log shape and cut into thin slices. You will have spinach threads. Set aside.

Peel carrot and cut into very thin julienne. Toss with spinach in a medium bowl and set aside. Peel onion. Cut in half and slice into very thin half-moon shapes. Put in a small bowl and set aside. Heat rice vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. When sugar dissolves, remove from heat. Add pinch of salt and pour over onion. When cool, drain and pour onion over spinach and carrot and toss to combine.

BACON-BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
4 slices bacon
4 shallots, peeled and minced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup fresh buttermilk
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon water
salt to taste
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Julienne bacon across grain into short strips. Place in a medium sauté pan over medium heat and sauté for 6 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel. Pour off half of bacon fat from pan. Add shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in white wine vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then add cream, chicken stock and buttermilk. Return to a boil.

Dissolve corn starch in water. When dressing returns to a boil, stir in corn starch little by little until dressing is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Add blue cheese and bacon strips. Keep warm.

ANCHO CHILI MAYONNAISE
4 Ancho chilies, seeded
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup corn oil
juice of 1 lime or to taste
salt to taste

Soak chilies in hot water for about 20 minutes or until soft. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. Add egg yolk, Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. Process until well incorporated. With blender running, slowly add oil in a thin, steady stream. When well combined, blend in lime juice. Season to taste. Pour mixture into a plastic ketchup bottle and set aside until ready to use.

MANSION BARBECUE SPICE MIX
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients together and store in a cool, dry place.

Percent Daily Value per serving: Iron - 98%; Zinc - 640%; Vitamin B12 - 1006%

Questions or comments: oysters@agr.state.tx.us