Oysters are rich in zinc and amino acids that boost sex hormones, but science doubts they’re a true aphrodisiac. They sure set the mood, though. Having a backyard oyster feast? Save some to toss on the grill and earn points with this gourmet-but-simple treatment: grilled oysters with nduja butter.
Not sure what nduja is? No sweat. It’s a spicy, spreadable Italian salumi that’s made with pork, fat, herbs, spices, and Calabrian chillies. It just so happens to be this recipe’s secret weapon, so don’t skip it! You can find it available at many gourmet shops or online. It also pairs beautifully with scallops, so it can do double duty in flavoring more than one seafood element.
Before you attempt grilled oysters, make sure you know how to properly suck one with our foolproof four-step guide from Florida shucking champ Robert Daffin. Gain some knowledge about the comeback of gourmet Chesapeak Bay oysters from our profile of Rappahannock Oyster Company.
Recipe provided by chef Dylan Allwood of Tavola restaurant in Charlottesville, VA.
How to Make Grilled Oysters With Nduja Butter
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Ingredients
- 8 oz. unsalted butter, softened
- 2 oz. nduja*
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1½ oz. panko bread crumbs
- 16 oysters, shucked on the half shell
- 2 chives, thinly sliced
How to make it
Preheat grill to 450°F. Blend butter with nduja until well combined and season with sea salt.
Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat and toast bread crumbs until golden brown. Remove from heat.
Scoop 2 tsp. butter mixture on top of each oyster. Arrange in a single layer on grill, cover and cook until hot and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Remove from grill. Garnish with bread crumbs and chives and serve warm.