Lodge

Ingredients

• 1 pint plus 1/4 cup shucked Gulf oysters
• 1 stick cold butter, cubed 
• 4 8-ounce skinless black drum filets 
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon room temperature butter
• 8 ounces shiitake mushroom, stemmed and sliced
• 2 ounces tasso, julienned
• 1 pound spinach, washed, stems removed

Preparation Directions

1. Add 1/4 cup oysters to a small saute pan set over high heat and cook until oysters start to curl, about 3 minutes. 
2. Add cold butter and cook, stirring constantly, until melted. Transfer to a pre-heated coffee mug, and puree with an immersion blender until creamy. Reserve in a very warm place or a double boiler at just under simmering. 
3. Season fish filets with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Preheat a large—12-inch or larger—saute pan, or 2 smaller saute pans over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add fish and cook until flakey, about 4 minutes per side. 
4. Meanwhile, set another pan over medium-high heat and saute shiitakes in remaining olive oil for about 3 minutes, stirring often. 
5. Add tasso and spinach and saute until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add remaining oysters and cook just until edges curl, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

Presentation

1. Divide oyster/spinach/tasso mixture amongst 4 large plates. 
2. Top each plate with 1 ounce of pureed oyster butter. 
3. Place 1 piece fish atop each plate. Serve.