“We wanted to give this classic dish a native and costal re-do,” says Pez Collier, co-owner of Melbourne’s Pearl Diver. “The warrigal greens give a grassy and saline herbaceous character, which offsets the creaminess of the Pacific oysters beautifully.”
Ingredients
Pangrattato
Method
1.Heat oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, thyme and fennel; cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant (6-8 minutes). Stir in cream and reduce by half (6-8 minutes). Add warrigal greens and stir until wilted (1 minute); season to taste.
2.For pangrattato, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring, until garlic starts to colour (2 minutes). Add breadcrumbs and stir until golden (2-3 minutes). Season to taste, drain on paper towel and cool.
3.Preheat a grill to high. Place shucked oysters on an oven tray lined with 1cm of salt. Top each oyster with 1 tbsp warrigal green sauce, then cook under the grill until bubbling (3 minutes). Scatter each oyster with pangrattato and divide among plates covered with black or rock salt.
Warrigal greens are available from select greengrocers. If unavailable, substitute baby spinach leaves.
Notes
