oysters

[mully]

i have never had oysters before adn bought some at the weekend ,im not sure if i need to cook them or what im to do with them also what do you eat them with?

[hirschhaus]

http://southernfood.about.com/od/oysterrecipes/r/bl30409o.ht m

[TariqE]

Eat raw (must be very fresh). just open them (can be a dangerous task!) lay them on top of a shallow bowl filled with crushed ice with lemon and maybe some Tabasco sauce....... .......an aquired taste they say.......I'm still trying to aquire it

[New Forester]

You can cook them, but they are lovely raw. They taste mostly of oyster-flavoured seawater. You open them with a strong knife through the hinge (or a special gadget) -- as TariqE says, easy to slip and hurt yourself. Then use another shell to loosen the oyster, and "drink" it out of the shell. Mmmmmm. You can cook them too, and this is best if you are not absolutely certain about their freshness. I've never done it though -- poached gently, then served with a nice creamed sauce? Bear in mind that raw is also live, so you may prefer to cook them anyway.

[zgma]

They are wonderful steamed. Put them in a big pot with some water in the bottom, and cook until most of the shells have cracked open. I like them like this just plain, but you can eat them with your favorite sauce, or some lemon.

[Gibbo]

I always fancied trying an oyster, but the idea of letting one slip down my throat makes me shiver! Do they taste of much?

[Yinzer]

I like them steamed. They look like vaginas. Perhaps it's the lesbian in me but I think they're absolutely delicious. Try the classic Oysters Rockefeller http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102178