Roasted Pacific Oyster Stew with Garlic Rouille Crostini and Saffron Aioli by Devon Boisen, Spengers Restaurant, Berkeley CA

Roasted Pacific Oyster Stew with Garlic Rouille Crostini and Saffron Aioli by Devon Boisen, Spengers Restaurant, Berkeley CA
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 large Pacific "barbecueing " oysters
Rock Salt -----------
Dried Black beans----- Mix together
Fennel fronds--------
The Stew
2 tablespoons butter
1 small shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh fennel, minced
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced
Chopped oyster meat
Oyster liquor
2 cus milk
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Rouille Crostini
5 slices of baguette(brushed with garlic oil and baked until crisp)
1 fire roasted red bell pepper
1 teaspoon Sambal powder or red crushed chili flakes
1 teaspoon fresh garlic ( chopped)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Saffron Aioli
1 pinch saffron steeped in 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 cloves roasted garlic
1 egg
1 cup salad oil
Salt and pepper to taste.
Method of Preparation
Roast the oysters until they open. Set to the side and allow to cool. Pour off the oyster liquor and chop the oyster meat.
In a saucepan sweat the shallot, fennel and onion in the butter. Add the oyster liquor, milk, cream and the oyster meat. Season with salt and pepper.
On each serving plate mound a bit of the rock salt mixture, Place the bottom shell in the center of the salt. This will be the serving vessel of the stew.
Ladle the stew into the shells and place a crostini on the side.
Place one of the crisp bread slices into a food processor and grind it into crumbs. Add all other ingredients for the rouille and grind together. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the rouille over the remaining crisp slices of the bread.
Assemble the Saffron Aioli
Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor bowl except the oil. Emulsify in the oil intil thick like mayonnaise and then season. Place in a squirt container.
Stripe the tops of the crostinis with the aioli.