It might surprise you to learn (I know it surprises me) that I have family in New Orleans. They’re not bookish gluttons, quivering in their nooks, either. My cousin is a sweet-tempered, lovely young mom married to a handsome lawyer. They both went to school with Payton Manning; Ben caught passes from the young star, and Rebecca was in his same year at Isidore Newman, the progressive private school all three attended. I went down for Ben and Rebecca’s super bowl party, and you can imagine what the night was like afterward. Hoo hoo! Some time! Doctor, what’s that itching and swelling?

I kid. I just went to sleep afterward, loser that I am. But I was moved by Ben’s special dish, Oysters Rebecca, that he created in honor of his wife. Ben served this for the first time at an elaborate Christmas a few years ago, and it has since entered the family lore, along with the silver pattern. In it’s old-fashioned opulence, it seems like its always been there, but you can’t get it at Arnaud’s or Antoine’s. This one is all Norwood, just like Ben and Rebecca’s little daughter Charlotte, who I tried drunkenly tried to feed these to before Rebecca wisely stopped me.

Essentially, Oysters Rebecca are fried gulf oysters, breaded with corn meal, and then served on toast points with a sauce made from a hollandaise and a demi glace / red wine reduction. It sounds fancy because it is fancy, and it both looks and tastes like something special. What kind of a man would name anything less for his wife? I don’t want to ever hear the “Who Dat” song again, but I could eat Oysters Rebecca every day for the rest of my life.

Oysters Rebecca (recipe by Benjamin Norwood)

• 1 pint Oysters
• 10 slices white bread (e.g. Wonder or Bunny)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup clarified butter
• 1 cup demi glace
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 tsp lemon juice or rice vinegar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup corn meal
• 2 tsp Cayenne
• 3 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 scallions, chopped
• Oil for frying

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Mix flour, cornmeal, cayanne, salt and pepper in a large work bowl. Heat oil for frying to 360 degrees. Cut crusts off of bread and cut into toast points (4 triangles per slice). Toast bread until slightly golden brown and set aside.

Reduce demi-glace and red wine until there is about 1/3 cup of very thick liquid and allow to cool slightly. Make a Hollandaise sauce with eggs and butter–the Hollandaise will seem thin but will thicken when reduction is added. Whisk in wine and demi glace reduction and add lemon juice and salt, white pepper to taste. Sauce may be held over warm water or allowed to cool and then reheated slightly over warm water. Sauce may continue to thicken; thin with a little warm water before service if needed.

Drain oysters and add to flour/cornmeal mixture. Fry oysters, in batches if necessary, until floating and golden brown then drain on paper bags.

Put toast points on warm serving plate and place one oyster on each toast point. Top with a teaspoon of the sauce and then sprinkle with chopped scallions. Serve.

The author and his newest muse.

Josh Ozersky is a James Beard Award-winning food writer, as he will tell you immediately upon meeting you. His most recent book, The Hamburger: A History (2008) is available in paperback. Listen to his “The Mr. Cutlets Show” radio program at Heritage Radio Network, or via iTunes.

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