Fried Oyster Sandwich with Cilantro Mayo

  

I love raw oysters, but since I cannot eat them whenever I want, I have to settle for fried. The crunchy coating is a welcome contrast to the soft, juicy oyster meat inside. They are so good that you can eat them alone. But the sandwich was wonderful, and what really made it come together was the cilantro mayo. It is a tasty blend of mayo, lemon, garlic, cilantro, and red pepper flakes that can be used on all sorts of other sandwiches such as salmon burgers, tilapia, and shrimp po boys. If you like oysters you will like this sandwich topped with arugula, fennel, and tomatoes. If you do not like oysters, substitute for fried shrimp or calamari.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

for the fried oysters:

 1 pint oysters, rinsed and drained

flour

seasoned fish fry (I use Zatarain's brand)

1 egg whisked with 1 tbsp hot sauce

oil for frying

for the cilantro mayo:

4 tbsp mayo

a handful of cilantro, washed

1 large garlic clove

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

a dash of salt and black pepper

a pinch of red pepper flakes

to assemble:

4 hoagie rolls, toasted

2 tomatoes, sliced

1/2 bulb fennel, sliced

arugula

Directions:

In a blender combine the mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; set aside.

Pour oil into a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Coat the oysters in flour, then in the egg wash (egg plus hot sauce), then in the fish fry.  Drop into the hot oil and fry, tossing occasionally, until cooked through, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

To assemble the sandwiches, split the rolls and spoon some of the mayonnaise mixture onto one half. Add the arugula, tomatoes, fennel, and fried oysters to the other half.


Source: daliasdelights original