March is the time of the queen among shells - the oyster. Ostrea edulis, Ostrea edulis, has been grown by the Šare family for more than 20 years. "Around the St. Joseph fiest, oyster is the fullest, best and tastiest. She is now preparing for spawning!" - reveals Josip Šare and adds: "It takes three years for oysters to grow."
By consuming 5 to 6 medium-sized oysters five to seven times a month, a sufficient intake of omega 3 fatty acids necessary for the healthy functioning of the human body is achieved. Oysters are a source of vitamins A, B1, B2 and B3, C and D, essential amino acids, and 6 oysters contain 32 mg of zinc, which is approximately 291% of the daily human need.
When consuming this shellfish, if it has not been thermally processed, it is not recommended to eat it in large quantities. The shell is a food that is foreign to the human body, and as is the case with other foods, if we do not consume it on a daily basis, we should be careful with the amount we ingest.
Oysters have been cultivated in Maloston Bay since Roman times, and the first written records date back to the time of the Dubrovnik Republic. They were often served at the Viennese court, after Emperor Franz Joseph tasted them during his visit to Ston in 1884. They were often on Roman tables, but also at the English court. Today, Maloston Bay is one of the last natural reserves of this shell. In 2020, the European Commission entered the Maloston oyster in the register of protected designations of origin and protected designations of geographical origin of the European Union.
The Bota Šare restaurants in Zagreb and Mali Ston serve them fresh, prepared on the grill, in soup or breaded.
Photos: Filip Popović
Grilled oysters
Ingredients:
• olive oil
• parsley
• pepper
• White wine
Preparation:
• open 5 shells, leave them on the deeper side of the shell
• make an emulsion of olive oil, dry white wine from Pelješac, pepper and parsley
• pour a soup spoon over the shell
• put them on the grill, wait until they are slightly charred, serve them for consumption
Oysters in Tempura
Ingredients:
• smooth flour 100 g
• baking powder 5 g
• 1 egg white
• carbonated water (cold)
• salt / pinch
• oil for frying (sunflower)
Preparation:
• open 5 clams, remove them from the shell
• mix flour, baking powder, egg white, mineral water, salt
• mix well to the appropriate thickness, further cool in the fridge
• put the shells in the mixture, then fry them in well-heated oil
Oyster soup
Ingredients:
• oysters 12 pcs
• olive oil 0.5 dcl
• garlic 1 clove
• parsley
• plain flour 2 soup spoons
• fish stock 1l
• salt
• pepper
• white wine 0.5 dcl
• nutmeg
Preparation:
• open the oysters, remove the meat and chop it if desired
• fry garlic, parsley and a little plain flour in olive oil
• cover with fish stock and add salt and pepper as desired
• add oysters, add a pinch of nutmeg and a little white wine
• cook for a few minutes until everything thickens slightly