CHEF JOHN ASH

John Ash: Cooking One on One:
Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food
from a Master Teacher

"Teaching has come to be the thing I love most in life..." Chef John Ash

Oysters are not only delicious, but they're also one of the most nutritionally well balanced of foods, containing protein, carbohydrates and lipids. The National Heart and Lung Institute suggest oysters as an ideal food for inclusion in low-cholesterol diets. Oysters are an excellent source of vitamins A, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C (ascorbic acid) and D (calciferol). Four or five medium size oysters supply the recommended daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus.

Fresh Oysters Steamed in Spinach With Three Caviars

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 36 small fresh oysters, shucked all liquor reserved
• 36 leaves young spinach
• 4 tablespoons chopped shallot or scallion
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2-1/2 cups flavorful shellfish stock
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Drops of fresh lemon juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Garnish:

• Lightly blanched julienne of leeks and carrots and fresh sturgeon, salmon and golden caviars.

Directions:

Very quickly blanch the spinach leaves in boiling salted water until just limp. Plunge into ice water to set the color. Pat dry and wrap each oyster completely. Set aside refrigerated.

To make the sauce:

Sauté the shallots and mushrooms in two tablespoons of the butter until lightly browned. Add 2 cups stock, 2/3 cup wine, ginger and reserved oyster liquor and reduce by half.

Add cream and reduce again to a light sauce consistency. Whisk in 1 tablespoon butter, strain and correct seasoning with salt, pepper and drops of lemon juice. The sauce will hold for up to 2 hours in a warm spot near the stove (not over 110 degrees) or in a thermos till serving time.

To complete the dish:

Place remaining stock, wine and remaining tablespoon of butter in a non-aluminum sauté pan. Bring to a simmer and add oysters in one layer. Cover and simmer for 15 seconds. Take pan off heat and leave covered while assembling rest of dish.

On warm plates, place two tablespoons or so of the sauce in the center and arrange the oysters attractively on top. Top each oyster with a demitasse spoon of one of the caviars so that all three are used. Garnish with a sprinkling of the julienned vegetables and serve immediately.

Cookbooks Authored by Chef John Ash
Winner of the Julia Child "Cookbook of the Year" from the IACP One of California's foremost chefs, in association with Fetzer Vineyards, celebrates the bounty of the garden and the vine with a collection of more than 300 recipes that pay magnificent tribute to fresh and healthy high-flavor food--plus a a helpful--and fun--approach to testing and evaluating wines. Color photos.	Winner of the 2005 James Beard Foundation Award John Ash: Cooking One-on-One: Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food from a Master Teacher	American Game Cooking: A Contemporary Guide to Preparing Farm-Raised Game Birds and Meats Game farms have made exotic fowl and meats widely available to the non-hunter, and this is an excellent resource for those who want to cook on the wild side. From boar-based borscht to roast lacquered duck with muscat-tamarind sauce, the recipes contained herein are delicious.

"It's the process of cooking that's so much fun — the bonus is that you get something at the end to eat." Chef John Ash

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(Chef John Ash)