The treasures of Matagorda Bay are the centerpieces for signature oyster dish
At Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar in Chattanooga, Lawton Haygood’s
Matagorda Bay Grilled Oysters are prepared on a wood-burning grill and
a cast-aluminum oyster rack that the restaurateur invented.
Chattanooga, Tenn. – For centuries, the warm and inviting Gulf of
Mexico waters along the coast of Texas have lured mariners to its
depths seeking oysters and other seafood treasures. Separated from the
Gulf by the Matagorda Peninsula, Matagorda Bay provides 31 percent of
the oyster yield for the state today.
For Lawton Haygood, the Chattanooga restaurateur whose Boathouse
Rotisserie & Raw Bar features Gulf of Mexico cuisine prepared by a
first-of-its-kind wood-burning grill he invented in the 1970s,
Matagorda Bay oysters are the perfect centerpiece for an oyster dish
that is among the signature items on his menu. His Matagorda Bay
Grilled Oysters are even fire-roasted on a special cast-aluminum rack
he designed to hold the oysters.
“I got the idea when I was eating at a restaurant in Louisiana,”
Haygood said. “The oysters were placed in their shells on a grill, but
the juices were spilled when they were taken from the grill to the
plate.
“I created a cast-aluminum rack that had open slots where you can place
the oysters in and grill them while keeping the juices from spilling,”
he added. “Some foods picks up a smoke flavor faster than others, and
oysters are one of them.”
At Boathouse, the Matagorda Bay Grilled Oysters are seasoned with a dab
of garlic butter and chives and served with grilled bread, which many
guests dip into the oyster juices.
“It’s a dish that is popular in taste and in appearance,” Haygood said.
“Some guests even get a couple orders (six oysters are included in a
serving) and make it their meal.”
Simple cuisine prepared with Haygood’s innovative grilling methods is
the trademark of Boathouse. (www.boathousechattanooga.com), which
Haygood opened with his wife, Karen, in 2002 situated along the
Tennessee River not far from downtown Chattanooga,
Haygood’s interest in Gulf of Mexico cuisine was cultivated by his many
travels around the Gulf states, and throughout Mexico. His first
restaurant was in Port Aransas, which is a tarpon fishing town on the
Gulf in Texas. There, he owned a restaurant that featured mesquite
grilled fish. Haygood eventually returned to his native Chattanooga and
opened Canyon Grill in Lookout Mountain, Ga., before adding the
Boathouse.
Here is Haygood’s recipe for Matagorda Bay Grilled Oysters, written for the home cook:
Matagorda Bay Grilled Oysters
Ingredients:
2 dozen large fresh oysters in the shell $12
½ cup diced scallions ¼ inch cut $.05
Garlic Butter room temp (see below) $4.80
Cracked black pepper $.05
Cost $16.90
Method:
Remove the top shell of the oysters. If you do not know how to open by
hand, place the whole oyster over the grill until they open enough to
open easily. Try not to spill the juice. Place the oyster on half shell
back on the hot grill with a teaspoon of the whipped butter. Sprinkle 6
pieces of scallions on top. Add a pinch of cracked pepper. Cook until
the liquid is bubbling. Remove with tongs.
Serve with grilled sliced rustic bread.
Garlic Butter
Ingredients:
½ lb soft butter
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
¼ cup whipping cream
Pinch Kosher Salt
Method:
Whip until fluffy. Keep it soft but not melted
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