Barbequed Local Oysters with Grilled Hearts of Romaine and Saga Blue Cheese Dressing

Yield:  4 appetizer servings

INGREDIENTS:
Romaine hearts, split - 4 ea.
Oysters, local, shucked - 20 ea. (or how ever many you desire)
Cornmeal - as needed
Barbeque sauce, homemade - as needed
Apple wood smoked bacon, cooked - 3 strips
Blue cheese dressing, homemade - 8 ozs.


PROCEDURE:
1. Brush romaine hearts with olive oil and grill split side down until wilted
2. While romaine is grilling, coat oysters in cornmeal and lightly fry for 1-2 minutes
3. Drain oysters and toss with barbeque sauce
4. Portion two grilled romaine hearts on plate
5. Top romaine hearts with blue cheese dressing
6. Portion barbequed oysters over romaine and dressing
7. Crumble bacon over all

Blue Cheese Dressing
Yield:  Approx. 1 ½ Quarts

Buttermilk - 15 ozs.
Sour Cream - 12 ozs.
Saga Blue Cheese - 12 ozs.
Garlic, minced - 3 ea.
Lemon Juice - 1 T

1. Combine all ingredients
2. Adjust seasoning

Barbeque Sauce

Yield: Approx. 1 gal.

Butter - ¼ lb.
Red onion, dice - 4 each
Garlic cloves, crushed - 10 ea.
Plum tomatoes - 1 can
Mustard - 8 ozs.
Brown sugar - 6 ozs.
Honey - 2T
Cayenne pepper - 3T
Paprika - 3T
Chipotle, canned - 2 pcs.
Wine - 6 ozs.

1. Sweat onions and garlic in butter; deglaze with wine
2. Add remaining ingredients
3. Simmer and adjust seasonings       

And now for Christopher's Perfect Pairings:
WOW, talk about a decadent meal! My mouth is watering as I'm writing this. are extremely popular in East End and Manhattan restaurants, especially Blue Points, due to their mild flavors. If you're lucky, you may also find some from Mecox Bay, Widows Hole or the Oyster Ponds of Orient Point. All of them have distinct flavor differences. The tricky part in pairing wines with this particular dish is the blue cheese dressing as the pungent flavors of the blue cheese pose a bit of a challenge. My suggestion would be a fine Port, Sauternes, or even a Riesling. They all offer a touch of sweetness, some more than the others, making them excellent choices for pairing with this meal. One might even try a Sauvignon Blanc, preferably from New Zealand. The high acidity will effectively combat the strong flavors from the blue cheese dressing. Here are a few specific suggestions:

2007 Fonseca $69.99 - 96 Points
"The 2007 Fonseca Vintage Port is opaque purple-colored with a high-class perfume of lavender, Asian spices, pencil lead, incense, and an amalgam of black fruits. On the palate it is voluminous with layered, succulent fruit, outstanding density, and excellent integration of tannin, acidity, and alcohol. The long finish and the wine's impeccable balance suggest a lengthy evolution and a drinking window extending out to 2045."   ~ The Wine Advocate

2001 Lafaurie Peyraguey  $79.95 - 96 Points
"This superb, light to medium gold/green-hued Sauternes is a full-bodied, opulent, enormously endowed, moderately sweet offering with plenty of pineapple, peach, caramel, and smoky new oak characteristics. With great viscosity as well as richness, and good underlying acidity providing vibrancy and definition, it should be at its peak between 2008-2030."  ~ The Wine Advocate

2008 H. Donnhoff Riesling Spatlese Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube $49.95 - 94 Points
"Donnhoff's 2008 Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spatlese is explosively bright, saturating and invigorating the palate with pineapple, lemon, and distilled pit and black fruits. Tart notes of berry skin and pungent citrus zest tickle the tonsils, while the refreshing diversity of fruits and berries remains transparent to saline, smoke, nut oil, and meat stock nuances." ~ The Wine Advocate