smoked oyster ricotta in cracker cups

It was only two years ago that I was introduced to canned smoked oysters by a friend at a New Year’s party.  I say better late than never!  Canned smoked oysters make for some sophisticated appetizers without so much a sophisticated price.  You can find them on the shelf beside the sardines and tuna at the grocery store and won’t break the bank at less than $2 a can.  When I had them at the party two years ago, they were served directly out of the can onto crackers, drizzled with a bit of the oil out of the can, and some cilantro.  I loved it the way it was, but I also wanted to make something quite different and a little more elaborate to call my own.

I made a mixture of processed smoked oysters, ricotta, and lemon juice, piped into homemade whole wheat mini cracker cups lined with a couple of leaves of cilantro.

mini cracker cups:

1 c hot water

1/4 c butter

2 c whole wheat flour

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

yields 6 dozen

Combine the water and butter until butter has melted.  In a separate bowl, combine whole wheat flour, sugar, and salt.  Add the water/butter mixture to the flour mixture slowly mixing with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough.  Add additional flour by the tablespoon if the dough is sticky.  Divide the dough in 3 parts and cover with a damp towel.  Take the first part and roll on a floured surface until very thin (less than 1/8″).  Cut into circles using a 3″ circle cookie cutter.  Place the circles in a non-stick mini-muffin pan.  Each third of the dough will make 24 mini muffin cups.  Repeat for the other two thirds of the dough.  Bake at 400°F for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown.

smoked oyster ricotta:

2 85g or 3 oz cans of smoked oysters

1 c ricotta

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 tsp salt

cilantro leaves, washed and dried with a paper towel

Process the oysters including the oil until it turns to a paste.  In a bowl, mix the ricotta with lemon juice and add the processed smoked oysters.  Add salt.

Take your cracker cups and line with two or three leaves of cilantro.  This will bring a depth of flavor to the recipe, as well as act as a barrier between the smoked oyster ricotta and cracker so that the cracker does not become soggy.  Spoon some of the smoked oyster ricotta mixture into a piping bag and pipe into the crackers.  Enjoy!