Seafood for St. Patrick's Day Weekend?

Beyond Corned Beef and Cabbage, St. Patty’s Day brings to mind traditional fish and chips. But here’s an interesting seafood option to consider this year!

Marvin Gapulto’s Irish Stout Granita with Raw Oysters

3/4 cup porter or Irish stout

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus more for garnish

1 medium shallot, finely diced (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

One dozen fresh oysters, scrubbed clean

Malt vinegar, to taste

Pour the beer into an 8x8 baking dish, stir in the black pepper and lemon zest. Place the dish into the freezer.

Start checking the dish after 20 minutes. Once the mixture begins freezing around the edges, use a fork to stir the mixture and break up any large pieces of ice. Rake the frozen crystals toward the center of the dish.

Return the dish to the freezer and check the mixture every 10 minutes, continuing to scrape and break apart any large chunks of ice and rake them to the center of the dish. Repeat every 10 minutes until you have very fine, almost snow-like, crystals. Because there is so little liquid in this granita, it won't take long to freeze completely.

When ready to serve, shuck oysters. Shake a few dashes of malt vinegar onto each of the shucked oysters, between 1/8 to 1/4 of a teaspoon depending on taste. Spoon some of the granita onto each of the shucked oysters, garnish each with the additional lemon zest, shallots, and parsley. Serve immediately. (http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Irish-stout-granita-with-raw-oysters-302422)

Why not give it a try? Fresh Apalachicola and Blue Point Oysters are always available at Atlantic Express Seafood at 6320 Atlanta Highway, Alpharetta, GA 30004 in the Village at Crooked Creek Shopping Center. For more information visit www.atlanticexpressseafood.com