FRIED OYSTERS WITH TARTAR SAUCE (for six)

For the tartar sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons minced scallions

3 tablespoons finely chopped sweet pickle

1 large hard boiled egg, forced through a coarse sieve

1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

For the oysters:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon cayenne

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1-1/3 cups fine fresh bread crumbs

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

vegetable oil for deep frying the oysters

36 shucked oysters, rinsed and drained well

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1.   Make the tartar sauce. In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, scallion, pickle, egg, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste and chill the sauce, covered.

2.   Preheat the oven to 250*.  Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

3.   In a shallow bowl stir together the flour, cayenne and salt and black pepper to taste.  In a second bowl whisk together the eggs and cream and in a third bowl stir together well the bread crumbs and cornmeal.

4.  In a deep fryer or large deep kettle heat 1-1/2 inches of oil over moderately high heat until it registers 375* on a deep fat thermometer.  Working in batches of 6, dredge the oysters quickly in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, dip them in egg mixture and roll them in the bread crumb mixture, coating them completely.

5.   Fry the oysters in batches in the oil, making sure the oil returns to 375* before adding the next batch, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp, transferring them as they are fried to the prepared baking sheet, and keep them warm in the oven.  Serve the oysters with the tartar sauce.

from Gourmet’s America