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Oysters adobo

While Filipino adobo is traditionally a meat stew, it is possible to cook something similar with seafood. Yes, there is a way to prevent overcooking oysters while still allowing them to soak up the garlicky-pepper-salty-sour flavors of adobo. You'll lose none of the natural briny goodness of the oysters either.
Oysters adobo
Seafood recipe
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Soaking 5 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Modern Filipino
Label: Filipino adobo
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Connie’s notes

First, this is not a stew. You stew oysters and you’ll be left with minuscule pieces that are tough and not at all palatable. 
The best way to enjoy oysters is to eat them raw. But if they have to be cooked, you certainly do not want them in shrunken form. So, how do we cook oysters as an adobo dish? We cook them twice.

Stage one

We cook adobo sauce, add the oysters and cook them for a very short time just to coat them with the flavors of the seasonings and spices that go into a Filipino adobo dish.
Fresh oysters have a high water content. They expel their natural juices when they come in contact with heat. That’s why they shrink when cooked. But oyster juices are rich in flavor. Briny with the distinct taste and aroma of oysters. And we certainly want all that to intermingle with adobo sauce. 

Stage two

We scoop out the barely cooked oysters, and simmer and reduce the sauce with the oyster juices. The simmering concentrates the flavors. We add back the oysters to reheat them and then transfer them with the sauce to a serving plate immediately so that they do not continue cooking in the residual heat.

Ingredients

  • 1½ to 2 cups shucked oysters
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 1 shallot thinly sliced
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons light soy sauce (I used Kikkoman)

Instructions

  • Place the oysters in a bowl, add the cornstarch, pour three cups of water and stir until the water looks cloudy. Leave to soak for about five minutes to allow any sandy residue to sink to the bottom of the bowl with the starch. Rinse the oysters and drain.
  • Heat the cooking oil gently in a pan.
  • Add the garlic, shallot slices and black pepper. Cook gently until the shallots slices have softened a bit, about a minute.
  • Pour in the vinegar and soy sauce. Simmer for a minute.
  • Add the oysters. Stir lightly. When the liquid boils, turn off the heat immediately, scoop out the oysters and spread them on a plate.
  • Reheat the sauce with the oyster juices and cook until reduced to about two to three tablespoonfuls.
  • Turn off the heat and add the oysters to the pan. If there is liquid (there should be) in the plate where you had placed the half-cooked oysters earlier, add that to the pan too. Stir to coat the oysters with the sauce.
  • Transfer to a plate or shallow bowl at once and serve.
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