The Dutch has always been known for its fashionable, celebrity-studded crowds, but we’ve always thought that chef Andrew Carmellini’s menu deserves just as much, if not more, of the limelight. In the heart of NYC, Carmellini weaves together “choice meats, fish and shellfish, local produce and lots of honesty” to create an all-American dining experience.
One of the hallmark dishes at the Dutch is their Little Oyster Sandwich, a petite oyster slider fried in cornmeal batter with pickled okra sauce. The dish pays homage to New Orleans-style po’ boys, but condensed to a manageable size so that you have plenty of room for other foods.
Today, we’re thrilled to share the Dutch’s recipe for this sandwich. For the best results, you’ll need some large oysters, robust enough to stand up to the breading. We offer a wide selection of meaty oysters, or you can opt for our preshucked oyster meats, which are perfect for frying.
With the following recipe, you too can bring the hip elegance of the Dutch to your own kitchen. Or, if you’d rather leave the cooking to the pros, take a stroll to Soho to try these sliders at the restaurant.
Little Oyster Sandwich
Andrew Carmellini, The Dutch
Ingredients:
Brioche Slider Bun with sesame seeds
Iceberg Lettuce Leaves, rinsed
Large Oysters, like Wellfleets
Cornmeal Mix:
4 C Cornmeal
2 ½ T Salt
2 tsp Cayenne
2T Smoked Spanish Paprika
Pickled Okra Sauce:
2 ½ C Mayonnaise
2/3 C Grainy Mustard
½ C Pickled Okra, diced
2 T Capers, rinsed, chopped fine
3 T Cornichon, small dice
2 T Parsley, minced
2 tsp. Chervil, minced
2 tsp. Tarragon, minced
3 ½ T Okra pickling liquid
1 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika
Method:
Heat canola oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees.
Combine all of the ingredients for the okra sauce in a bowl and whisk. Set aside.
Shuck the oysters and dust them in the cornmeal mixture.
Flash fry the oysters in the canola oil until they are just cooked through (about a minute to minute to a minute and a half)
Remove them from the fryer and place them on a paper towel. Sprinkle salt immediately to season.
Split the slider buns in half, and slather the okra sauce on both sides. Place the oyster inside and garnish the sandwich with a small leaf of iceberg. Skewer with a toothpick and serve hot.