Fried Wellfleet Oysters With Tartar Sauce

Fried Wellfleet Oysters with Tartar Sauce Perfect for any party or get together. (Photo: Patrick Connolly.
Patrick Connolly•

There are many ways to enjoy an oyster, perhaps the greatest, being straight up in its own liquor — nature's sauce. If just one kind of liquor won't suffice for your particular oyster needs (we know the feeling), pour yourself some vodka and enjoy these bivalves deep-fried and dipped in homemade tartar — humankind's sauce.

Wellfleet, MA, located on the hook of Cape Cod, is a town rich in history, summer vacationers and, yes, tasty mollusks like fat-bellied clams and plump, briny oysters. Get your hands on a few of these, and experience the true meaning of simple pleasures.

Fried Wellfleet Oysters With Tartar Sauce
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Prep Time
20
minutes
Cook Time
5
minutes
Servings
0
servings
Ingredients
  • 8 oysters
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup Wondra flour
  • 1 teaspoon chives
  • pinch celery salt
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons capers
  • 4 cornichons
  • 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1 hard boiled egg
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Directions
  1. ​In a bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, tarragon, parsley, egg, capers and cornichon and set aside.
  2. Shuck the oysters into a bowl, drain the liquor (this can be used for a chowder, sauce, bloody mary, etc)
  3. Cover the oysters with buttermilk and marinate for 1-3 hours
  4. Clean the nicer 8 shells to serve the oysters in later
  5. Combine the Wondra and the chives
  6. Remove the oysters from the buttermilk and toss in the Wondra/chive mixture
  7. Fry the oysters in 350 degree canola oil for 3-4 minutes until light brown and crispy
  8. Spoon a quarter-sized amount of the tartar into each cleaned oyster shell.
  9. Place a fried oyster into each shell.
  10. Finish with a little celery salt on each.
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