Grand Central Oyster Destination: Raw Bar, Pan Roasts, Broiled and Roasted

International and American visitors, commuters and city-slickers have all been flocking to the Grand Central Oyster Bar (www.oysterbarny.com) to slurp down “a dozen on the half shell” for more than a century, and with good reason. With more than two dozen varieties on the menu daily, bivalve lovers have a veritable smorgasbord from which to choose. But it doesn’t stop there! A wide array of cooked oysters – from the world renowned pan roast and stew to broiled, roasted and fried renditions – are on the bivalve hit brigade.

The current menu includes such West Coast oysters as Dabob (Washington State), Kumamoto (Oregon) and Pacific Kiss (British Columbia), and East Coast varieties like Cape May Salt (New Jersey), Island Creek (Massachusetts) and Pemaquid (Maine). The Oyster Bar’s executive chef Sandy Ingber describes the raw oyster experience this way: “I always eat the naked oyster (no condiments) first so I can ingest the full flavor,” says the renowned Bishop of Bivalves. “The excitement is tasting the sea, freshness, and trying to identify how much brine and the different flavors associated with the different varieties.”

Ingber adds that “cooking makes the oysters milder, and they also pick up the flavors of what they are cooked in.”

Among the most revered oyster recipes, served in the early days of the Grand Central Terminal seafood mecca, is for both Oyster Stew ($12.95) and Oyster Pan Roast ($13.45), which are cooked in the Oyster Bar’s original steam kettles with ingredients that include cream, butter and clam juice. For the pan roast, sweet chili sauce and toast are added.

The long-time maestro of the kitchen explains the difference between broiled oysters, “which start from above the flame, open-faced,” and then are “placed under the flame with a particular flavor added.” Roasted oysters “can be cooked either closed or open-faced, plain, or with sauce or flavored butter.” When roasting closed oysters,” adds Ingber, “as soon as they pop open, the top is removed, and they can be enjoyed either plain, with a sauce, or butter.”

The Oyster Bar serves its Blue Point Oysters from Long Island Broiled with Anchovy Butter ($14.95) and Roasted with Pineapple Citrus Vodka Butter ($11.95), as well as Fried with Tartar Sauce and French Fries ($23.95) among its cooked varieties.

“There are many ways to flavor a cooked oyster,” says chef Sandy. “Cooking like this really brings out the flavor of an oyster.”

Here is the pan roast recipe from The Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant Cookbook: Recipes & Tales from A Classic American Restaurant:

Oyster Bar Pan Roast

Put the clam juice, butter, Worcestershire, celery salt, and paprika in a medium heavy saucepan over high heat. When the butter melts, add the oysters and their liquor and cook, stirring, until the oysters become plump and the edges begin to ruffle, about 45 seconds. Stir in the chili sauce and half-and-half and cook, stirring often, until it is just coming to a boil, about 3 minutes.

Put the toast into a warmed soup plate and pour in the pan roast. Garnish with a shake of paprika and serve immediately, with oyster crackers.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup clam juice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika, plus additional for garnish
• 6 extra-select or large East Coast oysters, shucked, with their liquor
• 3 tablespoons Heinz chili sauce
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 slice white bread, toasted
• Oysters crackers for servings