Jeremy Sewall’s Angels on Horseback

Row 34
Here’s a fancy-but-easy-to-make nibble to add to your holiday (or game day) spread – Angels on Horseback from Row 34 chef-owner, author and oyster expert Jeremy Sewall. Fresh from the pages of his latest collection of recipes, The Row 34 Cookbook: Stories and Recipes from a Neighborhood Oyster Bar, this tasty little number comes with its own secret sauce – a tried-and-true, tangy aïoli that you’ll want to use on everything. You can pick up a copy of the book (online or at any of the three Row 34 locations) for an oyster shucking how-to, or if you’re not up to opening them yourself, Sewall says it’s ok to use pre-shucked oysters.

Details

Servings: 4-6 (18 oysters)

Ingredients

for the Angels on Horseback
  • 9 slices bacon
  • 18 medium to large oysters (shucked)
  • 4 lemon wedges 
  • 1/4 cup Grain Mustard Aïoli (see recipe below)
for the grain mustard aïoli 
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper

Directions

for the Angels on Horseback
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Place the bacon slices flat on a baking sheet with about 1/2 inch between them. Bake until slightly crispy but still pliable enough to wrap around the oysters (roughly 15 to 18 minutes in the oven). Remove the bacon from the oven and turn up the oven to 425°F.
  3. Let the bacon cool slightly, then cut the slices in half crosswise. Wrap each shucked oyster with a bacon slice and secure by pushing a toothpick through the oyster. Place on a clean baking sheet.
  4. Bake the wrapped oysters until the bacon is crisp and the oysters are warmed through (about 6 minutes). Serve with lemon wedges and aïoli on the side.
for the grain mustard aïoli 
  1. In a food processor (fitted with the metal blade) puree the yolks, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, and mustard until combined.
  2. Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula and pulse a few more times to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
  3. With the food processor running, slowly add the oils in a thin stream through the tube and let them emulsify with the yolks. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a few drops of cold water (you shouldn’t need more than 1 tablespoon) and continue adding the oil.
  4. The finished aïoli should easily coat a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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