Galway oysters ‘two ways’
During his trip to the west coast of the island of Ireland, Robin Gill reaffirmed his belief that the oysters from Galway Bay are the best in the world. He serves them simply but two ways – some cooked over heather on the barbecue and drenched in a seaweed butter; some raw and dressed with a spicy, tangy dressing featuring sea capers that he foraged on the coastline. A true celebration of the wild flavours found in this very special part of the world.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
DRESSING
- 1/4 red onion, very finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of sea capers, or regular capers
- 50ml of cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp of crispy chilli oil, (Robin uses White Mausu smoky chilli oil)
SEAWEED BUTTER
- 50g of unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp of seaweed powder, mixed (Robin uses a combination of powdered samphire, dashi powder, dried wakame, nori and dulse), plus extra to garnish
Equipment
- Charcoal barbecue or grill
- Oyster knife
Method
Set up a barbecue or grill for direct grilling and arrange the seaweed onto a serving platter to create a bed (if you have it!)
- seaweed, a mix of locally foraged varieties, washed thoroughly, to create a bed to serve (optional)
For the raw, dressed oysters, first make a dressing by mixing together all the ingredients. Taste for seasoning, although the salt in the sea capers and oysters themselves should be plenty. Set aside for about 20 minutes to allow the flavours to meld and the sea capers to quick-pickle
- 1/4 red onion, very finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of sea capers, or regular capers
- 50ml of cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp of crispy chilli oil, (Robin uses White Mausu smoky chilli oil)
For the seaweed butter, mix the butter with the dried seaweed powders until well combined. Set aside
- 50g of unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp of seaweed powder, mixed (Robin uses a combination of powdered samphire, dashi powder, dried wakame, nori and dulse)
Once the barbecue is hot, place the heather (if using) onto the grill – it will instantly start billowing white smoke. Add 3 of the oysters on top. As they cook, they will take on the smoky flavour and eventually ‘pop’ open
- fresh heather, or hay, to smoke (optional)
- 3 oysters, (Robin uses Kelly Gigas Oysters)
Meanwhile, shuck the remaining 3 oysters, spoon over the dressing then arrange them in their shells on the platter
- 3 oysters, (Robin uses Kelly Gigas Oysters)
Once the cooked oysters have all opened, serve them on their shells. Fill the empty cupped shell halves with the seaweed butter and carefully hold the shells over the barbecue for a few seconds until the butter has melted. Pour the melted seaweed butter over the cooked oysters, add a squeeze of lemon and an extra dusting of seaweed powder, and serve alongside the fresh ones (warn your guests the barbecued oysters will be hot!)
- lemon, for squeezing
- seaweed powder, mixed (Robin uses a combination of powdered samphire, dashi powder, dried wakame, nori and dulse), extra to garnish
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Dublin-born Robin Gill has worked under revered chefs such as Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc, but his own string of restaurants – including Sorella and Darby's – are relaxed, innovative and very exciting.
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