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

Absolutely fresh oysters on the half shell are one of God’s gifts to us. In California we get from several farms ranging from Tomales Bay north of San Francisco all the way up to British Columbia. A single variety, Miyagi from Japan, makes up most of what is cultivated. It’s an amazingly adaptable creature and very sensitive to where it’s grown. It can taste and look very different depending on where it’s grown.

Oysters on the Half Shell with Pickled Ginger Salsa

Yields 24 oysters

Ingredients:

• 24 fresh oysters such as Hog Island, Preston Point, Fanny Bay, etc.

Pickled Ginger Salsa: - Yield: Approximately 1-1/2 cups

• 1/4 cup diced jicama
• 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
• 1/4 cup finely sliced red onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped pickled ginger
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate. Use same day as made.

To serve:

With oyster knife, remove top shell from each oyster, being careful to reserve all liquor (juices). Cut underneath oyster to free it from bottom shell.

Place a teaspoon or so of Pickled Ginger Salsa (above) on top of each oyster 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

Love and Sensuality Recipes:

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• Blueberries and French Cream
  
  
• Almond-Orange Biscotti
  
  
• Fresh Oysters Steamed in Spinach With Three Caviars
  
  
• Oysters on the Half Shell with Pickled Ginger Salsa
  
  
• Food and Love - An intimate dance of the senses. (article)
  
  
• More Recipes

(Chef John Ash)