We started our day shopping at the Central Market in Narbonne, Les Halles. The market is a bustling place that is packed with vendors of all types. There are Butchers that specialize in a variety of different meat types. There are Triperies, Charcuteries, some that specialize in Horse Meat, Pork products, Fowl and Veal. They have fish mongers that have a huge variety of seafood and mollusks and produce that was just picked that morning. I really love shopping here, we stopped by at bakery grabbed a Croissant and a Quiche Lorrane and then walked over to a bar for a cup of coffee and never left the market.
We specifically were looking for some seafood to prepare last nights dinner. Somehow I got sidetracked on the they way to the fish mongers stall and picked up a really nice Skirt Steak.
We'll see more of that later, but for now it back to the seafood. Oysters are a locally harvested delicacy here as well as are Scallops or as they are called here " Coquilles St Jacques" my wife isn't a big fan of Oysters on the half shell but I had a plan. We selected 6 Oysters, 6 Scallops and a Filet of Sole from the Mediterranean Sea.
My plan was to make a Oyster's Rockefeller with a twist. The twist was the oysters would be smoked and would include bacon and cheese a deviation from the original recipe. The basis of the sauce is spinach boiled until soft and the water reserved to be added to onion, celery and garlic that has been sauteed in butter till soft. The reserved spinach stock is then reduced in the pan with the veggies 4 tablespoons of Pastise (an Anise flavored liqueur) and pulverized crackers.
Start with fresh spinach
Fry up some lardon
Add the onion, celery, and Garlic
Add 2-1/2 cups of the reserved spinach water and the diced spinach
Then the Pastis
And let it cook down. Meanwhile time to clean some shellfish.
A fresh Scallop uncleaned just opened.
All Cleaned
Scallops done and time for a break!
Oysters shucked and placed on a dish of rock salt.
When the sauced was reduced I added 1 cup of cracker crumbs and mixed them in well and topped my oysters with the sauce.
I had already fired up the UFO and it was time to kick the little dude into action.
I let them smoke for about 15 minutes and then topped them with Emmanthal Cheese
First course served
A little bubbly to celebrate, The Original Champagne invented by Dom Perignon a Franciscan Monk of the Abby at Limoux.
My Plate
Now its Scallop Time!
Then there was a little Skirt Steak that had to be dealt with!
I cut a couple pieces and rubbed it with olive oil and Plowboys Bovine Bold and onto the UFO it went.
Plated with "Aceto Balsamico from Modena"
It was a lot of work for just 2 people but man was it worth it!
Thanks for lookin!
Jed
We specifically were looking for some seafood to prepare last nights dinner. Somehow I got sidetracked on the they way to the fish mongers stall and picked up a really nice Skirt Steak.
We'll see more of that later, but for now it back to the seafood. Oysters are a locally harvested delicacy here as well as are Scallops or as they are called here " Coquilles St Jacques" my wife isn't a big fan of Oysters on the half shell but I had a plan. We selected 6 Oysters, 6 Scallops and a Filet of Sole from the Mediterranean Sea.
My plan was to make a Oyster's Rockefeller with a twist. The twist was the oysters would be smoked and would include bacon and cheese a deviation from the original recipe. The basis of the sauce is spinach boiled until soft and the water reserved to be added to onion, celery and garlic that has been sauteed in butter till soft. The reserved spinach stock is then reduced in the pan with the veggies 4 tablespoons of Pastise (an Anise flavored liqueur) and pulverized crackers.
Start with fresh spinach
Fry up some lardon
Add the onion, celery, and Garlic
Add 2-1/2 cups of the reserved spinach water and the diced spinach
Then the Pastis
And let it cook down. Meanwhile time to clean some shellfish.
A fresh Scallop uncleaned just opened.
All Cleaned
Scallops done and time for a break!
Oysters shucked and placed on a dish of rock salt.
When the sauced was reduced I added 1 cup of cracker crumbs and mixed them in well and topped my oysters with the sauce.
I had already fired up the UFO and it was time to kick the little dude into action.
I let them smoke for about 15 minutes and then topped them with Emmanthal Cheese
First course served
A little bubbly to celebrate, The Original Champagne invented by Dom Perignon a Franciscan Monk of the Abby at Limoux.
My Plate
Now its Scallop Time!
Then there was a little Skirt Steak that had to be dealt with!
I cut a couple pieces and rubbed it with olive oil and Plowboys Bovine Bold and onto the UFO it went.
Plated with "Aceto Balsamico from Modena"
It was a lot of work for just 2 people but man was it worth it!
Thanks for lookin!
Jed
