Oysters En Escabeche

Photo: flickr user Kent Wang

Ingredients

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

6 whl cloves

1/4 teaspoon All-spice berries

1/4 teaspoon Black peppercorns

3 Bay leaves

1 teaspoon Dried oregano crumbled

1 piece Cinnamon stick - (3/4" long)

cup Olive oil

1 lrg Onion thinly sliced

3 smalls Carrots cut into ¼" dice

3 Garlic cloves minced

6 Fresh long yellow chiles roasted, peeled,

and cut into 1/2" dice

3 tablespoons Cider vinegar or to taste

1 cup Mild fish broth, clam juice, or 1 1/2 pounds Shucked oysters, with all their liquid

1/2 teaspoon Salt or to taste

1/2 small bunch Cilantro, leaves only finely chopped

Preparation

In a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder reserved for grinding spices, combine the cumin, cloves, allspice, and peppercorns. Grind until cracked but not pulverized, then transfer to a small dish and add the bay leaves, oregano, and cinnamon.

In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chiles and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the vinegar, fish broth, and all the spices to the pan, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a glass bowl and let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, for the flavors to marry.

When ready to serve, return the mixture to the skillet and add the oysters. Over medium-low heat, bring the mixture just up to a gentle simmer and let the oysters cook very gently for about 3 minutes (the oysters are done when the edges curl and they turn almost white do not overcook). Remove from the heat and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and vinegar if desired. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and serve in deep bowls, scattered with the fresh cilantro.

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.