Illinois: Shellfish at Lake Forest Place

I love to cook what I love to eat and there is nothing better than the flavor and versatility that can be achieved with shellfish. At Lake Forest Place you will see seafood peppered throughout our menus. Lobster, crab and shrimp add an extra touch to the fine dining experience we provide. But when it comes to cooking with oysters, mussels and scallops, I just can’t get enough. 

Eating oysters is always a culinary adventure, with such a wide variety to choose from, they are a chef’s dream to prepare.  The east coast blue point oyster offers a briny, yet fresh salt water flavor while the west coast kumamoto provides a completely different experience with a refreshing cucumber essence. Either raw on the half shell or roasted on the grill, you are always in for a special treat when it comes to eating oysters. Recently I have incorporated them into my menu using several different techniques; on the half shell, a traditional oyster roast and smoked oysters for brunch.

The classic oyster on the half shell accompanied with a house made cocktail sauce and house made mignonette sauce allow the natural flavor of the oyster to shine through. We did a traditional oyster roast at our Carolina Low Country dinner that proved to be a whole new adventure for our residents. Grilling the oysters over an open fire and covering them with a water soaked burlap sack elevated the flavor and texture to a whole new level. The heat from the grill and the steam from the burlap led to an unbelievable layering of flavors and mouth feel, mellowing the brininess and causing the oyster to swell to the perfect firm texture.

Oysters and mussels are highlighted every week on my Sunday Brunch menu. Smoking the oysters adds a new flavor profile. The smoke combined with the brine like salt water packs a powerful flavor punch. They are then served with an array of other smoked fish, bagels and cream cheese. 

One of my best sellers on the menu is my version of the French classic Moules Marinieres, mussels in white wine. In my preparation, I strive for a lightness that is achieved by eliminating heavy cream. I blend garlic, shallots, butter, white wine and fresh herbs with the mussels, I serve it with a crusty French baguette to soak up all the delicious broth. I choose to use P.E.I (Prince Edward Island) mussels, as I find that the perfect size, texture and sea flavor from the cold north Gulf of St.Lawrence takes my dish over the top.  Not only do these mussels provide the flavor profile I am looking for, they are also sustainable and all natural. P.E.I Mussels start out with mussel seeds growing on collector ropes suspended in the ocean. The seed is collected from the wild, not hatcheries. 

I also use scallops in several different ways on my menus. With such great versatility, I can smoke them for my Sunday brunch or prepare them my favorite way with some sea salt, pepper and clarified butter to bring out the natural sweet flavor.  When purchasing my scallops, I take many variables into consideration like wet vs dry, diver vs no diver and size. I prefer the U-10 dry pack diver scallops (U-10 refers to the size; 10 or less per pound or an average of 1.6oz per scallop). The dry scallops are shucked on the boat, but go into a dry container with no water or preservatives. Again, like my mussels, I prefer the natural route. This creates a more pure and concentrated flavor. Their short shelf-life ensures freshness at purchase. Wet packed scallops are shucked on the boat but go directly into a cold water-filled container, which lengthens the preservation time (often a preservative or chemical salt is used to prevent the scallops from spoiling). Unfortunately, the scallops absorb water and become plump, which reduces the flavor and creates a tougher texture. Scallops packed in this manner tend to be older by the time they reach their destination. Finally, Diver refers to the method of harvesting. Instead of being dredged, these scallops are harvested by the hands of divers. Though incredibly labor intensive, it is far less damaging to the environment than disrupting the ocean floor with nets. One of my personal favorite scallop dishes is my pan seared diver scallop with Moroccan spiced beluga lentils, English pea puree, saffron cream and micro basil.

Letting the natural flavors shine through is the most important aspect to me when preparing seafood. Heavy sauces and intense seasoning will only cover up the innately delicious flavor of seafood. It is also important not to overcook seafood because it is lean, naturally, and will therefor easily and quickly dry out.

With all the different seafood varieties available, the menu possibilities are endless and I will continue to make seafood a staple on my menus here at Lake Forest Place. 

Executive Chef Robert MacClure