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I just made Drago’s Style Charbroiled Oysters, and I have to say again that this is simply the best damned way to eat an Oyster known to man. I didn’t use the official recipe, generously shared by Drago’s Chef Tommy Cvitanovich here, but altered it a little, because that is just what I do.

By the way, I hope you all know that the “official” recipes, never contain ALL of the ingredients that make the dish what you know and love. I wouldn’t respect them if they told you ALL of their secrets! Just in case you’re wondering why you made it at home and it doesn’t taste the same? Because they (not just Drago’s, all restaurants!) aren’t telling you the whole story. They want your hungry butt in a seat in their dining room, with question marks swirling around your head about why their’s tastes so much better than the one you tried to make at home. God love ’em for it, that’s business.

Personally, I’m not a secret recipe guy. I have a few that I won’t share with you because someone else let me have their secret recipe and made me swear that I wouldn’t tell a soul (and I never will.) I have a Praline recipe that unfortunately will never see the light of day on Nola Cuisine and it’s a damned good one.

Anyway, back to the ersters. The only problem I found with my version here is that I only made half a dozen.

From November 21, 2011

Drago’s Style Charbroiled Oysters Recipe

The Sauce:

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, very soft
1 Pinch Kosher Salt
1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
4 Tbsp Pecorino Romano
1 pinch Cayenne
1 pinch White Pepper
1 Spritz Lemon Juice
1 tsp Minced Italian Parsley

Whisk together all ingredients.

For the Oysters:

1 Dozen Large freshly shucked Oysters on the half shell (preferrably Louisiana) Watch my quicktime video on How to Shuck an Oyster
1 Recipe of the Sauce, above
Pecorino Romano to finish
Minced Italian Parsley for garnish
Fresh Bread
Lemon wedges

Mix together all of the ingredients.

Heat a charcoal or gas grill until very, very hot. Place the oysters on the hottest spot on the grill and let them cook in their own juices for a few minutes, just until they start to bubble and the edges curl.

From November 21, 2011

Top each with a generous portion of the sauce, enough to fill up the shell. When the sauce starts to bubble and sizzle sprinkle each oyster with about a Tbsp of Pecorino Romano. Let the Oysters go until the sauce on the edges of the shells gets nice and brown. Garnish with minced Parsley.

Serve while still sizzling with Lemon wedges and fresh bread.

Note: The more sauce that oozes onto the plate the better for mopping up with the bread. Also, don’t be as foolish as me and just make half a dozen, 3 dozen is more like it.

**Update**

My picture from this post was chosen as the cover of The Louisiana Seafood Bible: Oysters! Here is the image from the cover!

From Louisiana Seafood Bible – Oysters

Drago’s Seafood Restaurant is located at:

3232 N Arnoult Rd
Metairie, LA 70002-4738
(504) 888-9254

Some pics of the real deal from my most recent trip, at the New Orleans Oyster Festival 2011:

From July 21, 2011

Tommy Cvitanovich at the New Orleans Oyster Festival 2011:

From July 21, 2011

Drago’s Char-broiled
Oysters at Egullet

The Perlow’s latest trip to Drago’s at Off the Broiler

More Oyster recipes on Nola Cuisine:

Chargrilled Oysters with Artichoke Garlic Cream Sauce
Oysters Bienville Recipe
Oysters on the half shell

Be sure and check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes!

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I’m finally getting around to posting the Grillades recipe from last Sunday that went with my Andouille Cheese Grit Cakes. For more info and another recipe for Grillades and Grits, go to my earlier post on the topic here:

Grillades & Grits Recipe

For this recipe I dotted each Grillade with a little Persillade (garlic & parsley), kind of like a Gremolata on Osso Bucco. Here is last Sundays recipe:

Grillades & Andouille Cheese Grit Cakes Recipe

2 lbs Round Steak
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
½ Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 Medium Onions, Chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
2 Ribs Celery, Chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Cups Chicken Stock
3 Tbsp Homemade Worcestershire Sauce
2 Cups Tomatoes, Chopped
1 sprig Fresh Thyme
2 Fresh Bay Leaves
Crystal Hot Sauce to taste
2 Tbsp Minced Italian Parsley
1/4 cup Green Onions, thinly sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Recipe Andouille Cheese Grit Cakes

Persillade:
Minced Garlic & Italian Parsley chiffonade

Pound the Round Steak on both sides to about ½ inch thickness, then cut into 4 inch squares. Season the Grillades with the salt & cayenne pepper. Combine the flour and Creole Seasoning, dip the Grillades one at a time into the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. In a cast iron dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until very hot, but not smoking. Brown the Grillades well on both sides without burning. Transfer the Grillades to a plate. Drain off the vegetable oil and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the Onions, Bell Pepper, Celery, and Garlic and, stirring frequently, cook until the vegetables are soft but not brown. Stir in the Stock, Worcestershire, Tomatoes, Thyme and Bay Leaves; bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the Grillades and the accumulated juice from the plate back to the pot. Submerge the Grillades in the sauce, cover and simmer for about 1 ½-2 hours or until very tender. When the Grillades are tender remove them to a plate, remove the thyme stems and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce until the sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in the parsley, green onions, hot sauce, and salt & pepper. Place the Grit Cakes on 4 heated plates and divide the Grillades among the plates. Pour the sauce over the Grillades, dot each with a little persillade and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Check out my Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes

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