Cornmeal-crusted Oyster and Black-eyed Pea Salad with Jalapeño Dressing

Name: Cornmeal-crusted Oyster and Black-eyed Pea Salad with Jalapeño Dressing
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup cornmeal; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne; 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley; 1 (14-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, or 1 cup dried, cooked as directed below; 1/2 onion stuck with 2 cloves, optional; Bay leaf, optional; 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced; 4 scallions, finely sliced; Jalapeño Dressing; 1 small celery root; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; Pinch of salt; Canola or peanut oil, for frying; 1 pint (about 24) shucked oysters; 1 cup Cornmeal Coating; 10 ounces fresh spinach, cleaned and sliced into a chiffonade; 5 garlic cloves; 1 heaping tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeños, plus 1 or 2 whole pickled jalapeños, minced; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce; 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 shallot, finely minced; (makes about 1 cup)

December 14, 2011

This is another dish that Ashley taught me. It’s too good not to share. Cornmeal-coated oysters are crisp-fried and placed atop a salad of black-eyed peas, scallions, and red peppers. A chiffonade of spinach and celery root adds additional flavor and crunch (but it’s the killer sweet, hot Jalapeño Dressing that steals the show). Feel free to add a few more handfuls of greens to make this a more substantial salad. This is a great lunch salad with a fat wedge of corn bread and a cold beer.