A huge fan of sparkling wine and oysters, our Senior VP of Content Andrea Griffith Cash recently attended the Carolina Inn‘s Bubbles & Pearls Dinner and was blown away by the oyster sausage – what a genius idea! Serve it over grits for a hearty brunch!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (About 6 3/4 ounces) freshly shucked oysters, drained and chopped
4 oz. sausage meat (without casings)
1 large egg yolk
2 Tbsp. plain dried bread crumbs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh or dried herbs of your choice
Lettuce leaves, for serving
3 to 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil (may substitute clarified butter – see note)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions:
- Combine the oysters and sausage in a mixing bowl, then add the egg yolk and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and your choice of herbs to taste. Mix well. Pinch off a little piece of the sausage and fry in a dry skillet so you can check the level of seasoning and correct as needed. Form the sausage into 12 small patties.
- Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels. Place lettuce leaves on individual plates.
- Add just enough of the oil to coat the inside of a medium skillet; place over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the sausage patties and cook on each side for about 2 minutes or until they are browned and cooked through. Transfer to the lined plate to drain for a minute or so, then place atop the beds of lettuce on individual plates.
- Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.
Note: To clarify butter, heat it slowly over low heat in a medium saucepan. After it has melted, let it stand for 10 minutes, then use a spoon to skim off the foamy solids on the top. Pour off the clarified butter, leaving the watery residue in the pan. (One cup of unsalted butter should yield 3/4 cup of clarified butter.)
