Nowhere are oysters more delicious than on the east coast of Africa (except for the tiny Olympia oysters you get at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco or in New Orleans).
In Kenya, the oysters are opened and each one goes on its own tiny china ramekin or tiny container which looks like a miniature coaster. Twelve of these little dishes are placed on a large platter with a bowl of dark, dark-red cocktail sauce and slices of lemon. Mombasa, that lovely city on the coast of Kenya, boasts the very best of these small oysters.
32 small oysters (Bluepoints or Olympias if possible)
½ cup melted butter
4 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 cup chablis
4 Tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
few drops tabasco
lemon wedges
Open 32 small oysters (Bluepoints or Olympias if possible). Leave them on the half shell and place on baking sheets.
Combine ½ cup melted butter, 4 cloves garlic, very finely minced, 1 cup chablis, 4 Tbs. chopped parsley, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper and a few drops tabasco. Ladle half of above sauce (1 tsp. per oyster) on each one. Bake at 350 ºF for 6 to 8 minutes. Ladle the remaining sauce uniformly over the oysters again. Serve immediately, four per person, with lemon wedges on a 9-inch plate (or on hot rock salt if available).
8 portions (4 oysters per person)
country : Kenya
course : starter
source : The African Cookbook / Bea Sandler