Aunt Angie's Thanksgiving oyster dressing with fried oysters
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This recipe is for the oyster lovers and the oyster lovers only. Oyster dressing — or stuffing — has a centuries-long history up and down the East Coast, dating back to the country’s founding colonies, and it’s still particularly beloved in the Northeast and the South. As a child of Los Angeles, I was only introduced to oyster dressing through love: My Aunt Angie pulled from historical and modern recipes and years of trial and error to create this version for her husband, my Uncle Barrett, a native New Englander.
Every year at Thanksgiving she prepares two stuffings: a more ubiquitous variety studded with sausage, apple and pecans, and this oyster dressing for Barrett. Its funky, rich flavor can be polarizing, and while many family members opt for the sausage stuffing, I pile my plate with this oyster dressing whenever it’s in front of me. It’s aromatic with the traditional flavors of celery, mushroom, parsley and garlic, but the use of plump, jarred oysters and some of their liquor imparts depth and a light brininess, as well as moisture for the whole dish.
This year I’ve modernized my aunt’s oyster dressing by topping it with fried fresh oysters from L.A. chef Ari Kolender’s cookbook, “How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea,” for crunch and even more flavor. Note: Jarred oysters are often found in the refrigerated seafood section or in the seafood case of most major grocers around the holiday season (not to be confused with tinned, smoked oysters).
Oyster Dressing
For the dressing: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Then strain the jarred oysters over a bowl to catch all of the liquor. Gently inspect the oysters to ensure there are no shell bits, pearls, sand, etc. Cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Measure the oyster liquor, adding chicken broth to make 2 1/2 cups. Do not use straight liquor even if you have enough.
Melt the stick of butter in a large heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onion. Stir and sweat for 2 or 3 minutes.
Stir in the celery leaves and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Next add the sage, thyme and white pepper. Stir.
After they’ve had a minute, add the mushrooms. Stir everything together well and let them cook on medium to medium-high heat until the mushrooms aren’t browned but getting softer and smaller, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the cut-up oysters, folding gently! Let them share all their flavors for a few minutes then remove from heat. The oysters will be white. Add the fresh parsley and set aside.
On the stove or in the microwave, warm the mix of oyster liquor and chicken broth, setting aside about 1/2 cup for adjusting later.
Place the packaged stuffing in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour half the liquid in and begin folding. Err on the side of moist. If it’s dry, gradually add liquid from the 1/2 cup of oyster liquor and broth. Gently fold the stuffing with the vegetables.
Spoon the mixture into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Dot the top with butter all over, using about the remaining 2 or 3 tablespoons. Tightly cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the oysters are cooked to 165 degrees.
For the fried oyster topping: Place the shucked oysters in a large bowl and pour in enough buttermilk to just cover them. Let the seafood sit in the buttermilk for at least 5 minutes and up to 4 hours (refrigerated and covered if it will be longer than about 10 minutes).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the corn flour, all-purpose flour and seasoning until well combined. The seafood fry mix can be stored in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 1 year if your spices and flours are fresh.
Pour 3 inches (7.5 cm) of oil into a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot and heat it to 350°F (177°C). Line a sheet pan or plate with paper towels and place it near the fryer.
Fill a wide bowl with the seafood fry mix. One piece at a time, use your hands to lift an oyster from the buttermilk and lay it in the fry mix. (If the fry mix starts to get clumpy or pebbly as you work through the oysters, sift it through a sieve and discard the solids.) Gently swirl and toss the oyster within the fry mix until every crack and crevice is fully coated. Lift the oyster out of the mix, allowing the excess to fall away, and gently lay it into the fry oil.
Continue to add as many oysters to the pot as you can without overcrowding, which would cause the oil temperature to drop below 350°F (177°C). Fry until each piece is golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked oysters to the paper towels and immediately sprinkle with some kosher salt. Continue working like this, frying in batches, until all the oysters have been cooked.
Once the oyster dressing has finished cooking, place the fried oysters and a sprinkle of fresh parsley atop the dressing and serve.
