Louisiana Oysters & Angel Hair Recipe
Crispy fried Louisiana oysters, grilled wild mushrooms & tasso, in a Parmesan black pepper cream over fresh angel hair pasta, topped with Bottarga gremolata
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Ingredients
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Oysters & Frying
Mushrooms & Tasso
Cream Sauce
Pasta
Bottarga Gremolata & Finish
Method
Oysters & Frying
- 1
Prep oysters
Pat shucked Louisiana oysters dry on paper towels to remove excess liquid. Season lightly with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
- 2
Make dredge and egg wash
In a shallow bowl whisk together buttermilk and the egg until combined. In a second shallow bowl combine flour, cornstarch, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp black pepper. Place semolina or panko in a third shallow bowl for final coating.
- 3
Coat oysters
Working in batches, dredge each oyster in the flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk-egg wash, then press into the semolina or panko to fully coat. Place coated oysters on a wire rack and rest 10 minutes to adhere.
- 4
Fry oysters
Heat a heavy skillet (cast-iron recommended) with 1/2" oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry oysters in batches for about 1.5–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Do not overcrowd. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while finishing remaining oysters. Add more oil as needed between batches.
Mushrooms & Tasso
- 5
Cook tasso and mushrooms
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter. When butter foams, add the tasso and cook 1–2 minutes until it renders its fat and begins to brown. Add the torn/sliced mushrooms in a single layer (do in two batches if needed); do not stir immediately — let them brown for 2–3 minutes, then toss. Add the minced garlic and thyme and continue to cook 1–2 minutes until mushrooms are tender and golden. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Remove from pan and set aside with any accumulated juices to be added to the sauce.
Cream Sauce
- 6
- 7
Deglaze
Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until reduced by roughly half (about 2–3 minutes).
- 8
Finish cream
Lower heat to medium-low and add 1 1/2 cups heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and let thicken slightly for 3–5 minutes. Stir in the reserved mushrooms and tasso (with their juices). Add 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan and 1 tsp cracked black pepper, stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth. Add 1/2 tsp lemon zest. Taste and season with salt as needed (start with 1/4 tsp and adjust). If sauce is too thick for tossing with pasta, add up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water to reach desired consistency.
Pasta
- 9
Cook pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook 12 oz fresh angel hair pasta according to package directions (usually 1–3 minutes) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
- 10
Combine pasta and sauce
Add the drained pasta directly to the cream sauce pan over low heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil and toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until the sauce clings to the pasta and reaches silky consistency (usually 2–4 tbsp). Keep warm but avoid boiling.
Bottarga Gremolata & Finish
- 11
Make bottarga gremolata
In a small bowl combine 1 tbsp finely grated bottarga, 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 1/2 clove minced garlic, 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Mix until slightly paste-like. Taste and adjust lemon or bottarga intensity to preference.
- 12
Plate and garnish
Twirl portions of angel hair into warmed shallow bowls. Spoon the Parmesan black pepper cream with mushrooms and tasso over and around the pasta. Top each portion with 3–4 crispy fried oysters (or more to preference). Sprinkle bottarga gremolata sparingly over oysters and pasta. Garnish with a few microgreens or baby arugula if using and a final crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.