serves 4
for the bacon aioli
5 strips thick cut bacon, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup blended oil (half canola, half olive oil) or grape seed oil
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
for the oysters
1 dozen oysters
1/3 cup corn starch
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat beer
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canola or peanut oil
chervil for garnish
heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. add the bacon to the hot pan and cook until crisp, 7-10 minutes. lift the bacon out of the fat with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. pour off some of the fat, leaving enough to coat the pan to fry the eggs.
put the vinegar, egg yolk, mustard and honey in a blender and pulse several times to combine thoroughly. with the blender running, drizzle the oil through the lid until all of it has been incorporated and a thick emulsion forms. add the bacon bits and blend again until smooth. season to taste with salt and pepper.
shuck the oysters from their shells. clean the bottom half of the shell and pat dry. set aside. rinse the oysters to remove any shell bits and pat dry. in a large bowl, whisk together the corn starch and flour. fold in the beer to make a loose batter (add a little extra beer if the batter seems too thick).
heat the oil to about 365° f in a deep medium saucepot or dutch oven.
dunk the oysters in the batter, coating thoroughly. carefully drop the battered oysters into the hot oil, frying until crisp and golden. lift them out of the hot oil with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
put a spoonful of aioli on each of the cleaned oyster shells. top with a fried oyster. put a quail egg on top of each oyster and garnish with chervil.