18 fresh oysters in their shell
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 whole eggs
1 cup dry bread crumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
oil for deep frying, peanut, corn or olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 anchovy fillets, soaked in cold water 10 minutes, patted dry and mashed
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 small hearts of romaine, leaves separated
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Shuck the oysters and reserve them separately from the oyster liquor from the shell. Discard the shells.

Place the flour in a bowl. Place the eggs in another bowl and whisk with 2 tablespoons water. Place the bread crumbs in a third bowl. Season the flour and bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Dredge the oysters in the flour first and tap off the excess. Next dip them in the egg mixture and then in the bread crumbs.

In a small saucepan heat 1-inch of oil to 375 degrees F.

For the dressing, in a bowl whisk together the reserved oyster liquor, the garlic, mustard, lemon juice, mashed anchovies and egg yolk until well blended. Add the olive oil slowly in a steady stream and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Deep fry the oysters, a few at a time, until golden, 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Place the lettuce in a large bowl and toss with the dressing until the leaves are coated. Add half of the Parmigiano and toss again. Place on serving plates and top each plate with 3 oysters and sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

Pinchitos Morunos

Pinchitos are heavily seasoned miniature meat kebabs cooked over a charcoal grill. The spice mixture is reminiscent of North Africa and the Middle East, but the use of pork is not. Pork consumption is forbidden by Islam, and thus it is absent in North African cuisine. In Spain, pork is much favored. Be sure to soak the skewers in water before placing them on the hot grill, otherwise they might go up in flames.

Mash the garlic and a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle or with the back of a knife on your cutting board to make a fine paste.

In a dry frying pan, heat the coriander seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, thyme, red pepper flakes, and curry powder until hot and aromatic, 30 seconds. Remove from the pan; put the mixture into an electric spice grinder, a coffee grinder, or a mortar and pestle; and grind to make a fine powder. In a bowl, combine the garlic, spices, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, ¾ teaspoon salt, pepper, and the pork cubes. Toss well to coat the pork completely and marinate covered in the refrigerator, tossing occasionally, for 2 to 3 hours.

Thread the pork onto skewers. Broil or grill the pork skewers over hot coals, turning every 2 to 3 minutes and basting occasionally with the marinade, until well browned but still juicy, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 skewers to serve 6

Crème anglaise:
1 ½ cups milk
3 tablespoons sugar
½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 egg yolks

Cakes:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons almond paste
4 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons cake flour
confectioner’s sugar

Fresh raspberries as a garnish

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk, sugar and vanilla bean stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks to break them up, but don’t make them foam. Whisk a little of the hot milk into the egg yolks to warm them. Return the eggs to the pan and cook the custard, stirring constantly, until it coats the back of a spoon, approximately 170oF. Test it by drawing your finger across the back of the spoon. If your finger leaves a trail in the custard, the custard has cooked to the right point. Immediately strain into a bowl and chill.

For the cakes, preheat an oven to 400oF. Butter and flour 6 ramekins, 5 to 6 ounces each. In the top of a double boiler, over medium heat, melt the chocolate, butter and cognac or brandy until smooth. Set aside.

In a bowl, ribbon the sugar, almond paste and egg yolks until stiff and light colored. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Sift the flour over the top and fold the flour and chocolate into the egg mixtures. Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins, distributing evenly. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the cakes have risen and the tops just begin to crack, 10 to 12 minutes.

Immediately remove the ramekins from the oven and run a knife around the edges of the ramekins. Gently invert  the ramekins onto a dessert plate. Spoon the sauce around the edges and dust the tops with confectioner’s sugar. Garnish with raspberries and serve warm.

Serves 6