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Oysters Fried in Cornmeal

Source of Recipe

From "Craig Claiborne's Southern Cooking" by Craig Claiborne


List of Ingredients

â—¦  24 large oysters, shucked, with their liquor
â—¦  ½ cup cornmeal, preferably yellow, although white may be used
â—¦  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦  â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦  â…› teaspoon paprika
â—¦  Salt to taste, if desired
â—¦  Corn, peanut, or vegetable oil for deep-frying


Recipe

Drain the oysters briefly and discard the liquor.

Combine the cornmeal, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt. Blend well.

Heat the oil to 375° F.

Dredge the oysters in the cornmeal mixture. Drop them, a few at a time, in the hot fat and cook, stirring often, until they are golden brown all over, less than 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove and drain.

Let the fat return to the proper temperature before adding successive batches. Serve, if desired, with tartar sauce, mayonnaise, or Southern-style—with ketchup flavored with Worcestershire sauce, a dash of Tabasco, and lemon juice.

Makes 2 servings