Make a “Bloody Mary” mix; by combining tomato juice with the remaining ingredients and a good dash of vodka.
Place one oyster in each small ‘shot’ glass.
Pour over chilled Bloody Mary mix.
Serve and enjoy.

Oysters Grilled with Pesto and Bacon

Natural oysters in the half shell

Prepared pesto paste

Finely chopped bacon

Arrange oysters on a grill tray.
Top with a small spoonful of pesto.
Sprinkle a little chopped bacon on top of each oyster.
Place oysters under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Angels on Horseback

24 oysters

6 rashers streaky bacon, rind removed

4 slices hot buttered toast

Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon wedges to garnish

Remove oysters from shell or drain well, if bottled.
Cut bacon into 24 squares and wrap each one around an oyster.
Thread 6 bacon wrapped oysters on 4 metal skewers.
Season with a little freshly ground black pepper.
Place under a preheated hot grill and grill for 3 minutes each side or until bacon is crisp.
Serve on toast garnished with lemon wedges.

Oysters Kilpatrick

12 oyster in half shells

2 bacon slices, finely chopped

4 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Pepper to taste

Remove oysters from shells.
Wash shells to remove grit and replace oysters in shells.
Prick each oyster once with a fine skewer.
Combine bacon, sauce and season with pepper to taste.
Spoon bacon mixture over each oyster.
Place under hot grill until bacon is cooked.
Optional: Spice up bacon with tomato, barbecue or chilli sauce.

Oysters with Gazpacho Salsa

2 dozen oyster in half shell

Gazpacho Salsa

2 small ripe tomatoes, diced

10cm length continental cucumber, diced

2 shallots, white part finely chopped

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. ground cumin

Dash Tabasco sauce

Ground black pepper

Combine salsa ingredients, mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour
Spoon salsa and juices over oysters.
Arrange on a platter to serve.

Oyster and Prawn Bisque

3 dozen oysters

250gr cooked prawn meat

5 cups milk

3 cups fish or chicken stock

1 cup finely sliced celery

1 medium carrot, finely sliced

4 shallots, finely sliced

½ cup flour

1 cup milk, extra

2 tsp. grated lemon rind

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp. natural yoghurt

Check oysters for grit and remove if necessary.
Wash and devein prawns and chop into small pieces.
In a large saucepan, place milk, stock, celery, carrot and shallots.
Simmer until vegetables are soft.
Put flour in a bowl and gradually blend in extra milk.
Pour slowly into pan liquid, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbling.
Cool slightly and puree in batches in a food processor or blender.
Return to saucepan and add lemon rind, salt and pepper, oysters and prawns.
Heat through over gentle heat.
Pour into soup tureen and fold in yoghurt.
Serves 6.

Smothered Oysters

600ml oysters

1 tbsp. butter

½ tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. salt

Few grains cayenne pepper

Put butter in covered saucepan with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
When hot, add oysters.
Cover closely, and shake the pan to keep oysters from sticking.
Cook 2-3 minutes, or until plump
Serve on toasted crackers.

Oysters in Brown Sauce

600ml oysters

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

1 cup oyster liquor

½ cup milk

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. anchovy essence

1/8 tsp. pepper

Vol-au-vents cases

Parboil and drain oysters, reserve liquor, heat, and strain and set aside for sauce.
Brown butter, add flour and stir until well browned; then add oyster liquor, milk, seasonings and oysters.
Fill vol-au-vents cases with filling and serve.

Oyster and Steak Pot Pie

1kg round or topside steak, trimmed

½ cup flour, seasoned to taste with pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

1 cup chopped mushrooms

½ no added salt tomato paste

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

250ml Guinness

250ml beef stock

75ml strong coffee

24 large oyster meat

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 sheet rolled puff pastry

Place meat and flour in a bag and toss to coat.
Heat half the oil in a large pan and sauté the onion, carrot, parsnip and mushrooms for 3-4 minutes on high.
Remove from pan.
Heat remaining oil and cook the meat until browned on all sides.
Add tomato paste and cook 1-2 minutes or until paste turns a russet colour and becomes aromatic.
Return vegetables to pan with the Worcestershire sauce, Guinness, stock and coffer and cook on low for 1 hour, covered.
Pre-heat oven to 190 C.
Add the remaining ingredients, pour into an oiled casserole or deep pie dish and top with pastry.
Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
Serve 6-8.

Oysters Greta Garbo

3 dozen natural oysters in ½ shells

Juice of ½ lime or lemon

6 slices smoked salmon, cut into fine strips

250ml sour cream

2 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped for garnish

Red caviar, for garnish

Crushed ice, for serving

Sprinkle the oysters with lime juice and top with smoked salmon,
Dollop the sour cream onto end of oysters.
Garnish with chives and red caviar.
Serve on a bed of crushed ice.
Serves 6 as an entrée.

Oysters and Mussels in Shells

500gr whole mussels, cleaned

24 oysters in ½ shells

60gr butter, softened

1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. orange juice

1 tbsp. white wine

Pre-heat barbecue to a high heat.
Place mussels and oysters on barbecue grill and cook for 3-5 minutes or until mussel shells open and oysters are warm.
Discard any mussels that do not open after 5 minutes of cooking.
Place butter, parsley, lemon juice, orange juice and wine in a heavy-based saucepan.
Place on barbecue and cook, stirring for 2 minutes or until mixture is bubbling.
Place oysters and mussels on a serving platter, drizzle with butter mixture and serve immediately.
Serves 6.

Oyster Fricassee

600ml oysters, bottled

Milk or cream

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

¼ tsp. salt

Few grains cayenne pepper

1 tsp. finely chopped parsley

1 egg

Drain oysters, reserving liquor.
Heat reserved liquor to boiling point.
Add oysters to liquor and cook until plump.
Remove oysters with skimmer and add enough cream to liquor to make a cupful.
Melt butter, add flour, and pour on gradually hot liquid; add salt, cayenne, parsley, oysters and egg slightly beaten.

Oyster Mornay

2 dozen oysters in half shells

1 cup béchamel sauce

2 tbsp. grated tasty cheese

½ tsp. French mustard

¼ cup milk or cream

Extra grated cheese

Beat 2 tbsp. of grated cheese into hot béchamel sauce.
Add ½ tbsp. French mustard and add quarter cup cream or milk.
Heat but do not boil.
Remove oyster meat from shells and put aside in a clean container.
Rinse the oyster shells thoroughly.
Place a little sauce on each shell, return oysters to their shells and cover with more mornay sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese and place under grill until lightly browned.
Serve at once.