Need a good baked talaba recipe? If so, you’ve come to the right place! In today’s article, we are giving you all of the information you need to make amazing baked oysters, both with and without the shell, right from the comfort of your own home. Sound amazing? It is! Keep reading for all the goods concerning baked talaba and how it’s made.
Table of Contents
- What Is Baked Talaba?
- How Popular Is Baked Talaba?
- Is Baked Talaba Easy to Make?
- What Is Needed to Make Baked Talaba?
- How to Bake Oysters
- Baked Oysters With Cheese Without Shell
- FAQs About Baked Talaba
- Baked Talaba: A Delicious and Savory Meal!
What Is Baked Talaba?
Talaba is the word used for “oyster” in the Philippines. Thus, baked “talaba” is simply baked oysters that are usually doused in butter, topped with gooey cheese, and layered with savory minced garlic for an out-of-this-world flavor combination that’ll keep you coming back for more!
How Popular Is Baked Talaba?
Baked talaba, or baked oysters, are enjoyed in many parts of the world.
However, the specific “baked talaba” recipe is often connected to Pinoy (aka Filipino) cuisine.
Still, you can find people enjoying oysters from all over, especially in countries such as France, Spain, Ireland, and certain parts of America.
Is Baked Talaba Easy to Make?
Baked talaba is very easy to make–provided that you know what you’re doing.
If you are using unshelled oysters (stay tuned for a recipe specifically for unshelled oysters below) then the process will be much easier than if you have to shuck the shells yourself.
The “shucking” process involves taking a knife and jimmying it to open the oyster so that you can add butter, garlic, herbs, and whatever else your heart desires to your oysters before baking.
For some, the shucking process may be a little intimidating but once you get the hang of it, you’ll soon discover that baked talaba is a quick, easy no-fuss recipe you’ll probably want to make all the time!
What Is Needed to Make Baked Talaba?
To make baked talaba, you’ll need a good amount of oysters (most recipes call for a couple of dozen oysters, but you may always adjust a recipe according to the number of oysters you have), cheese, butter, and minced garlic.
Some also like to add herbs, lemon juice, and creole seasoning to the mix, just to jazz things up a bit.
Like with any recipe, you can feel free to put your own spin on your oysters to achieve the flavors you love!
For the purposes of this article, we will focus only on how to make delicious talaba in the oven, rather than by frying or steaming. So you’ll need an oven, too!
How to Bake Oysters
Now that you know a little more about baked talaba, it’s time to get to the nitty-gritty about how to make them.
The following is a recipe for how to bake oysters:
Ingredients:
- ½ lb. of shucked oysters
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon of minced garlic (about 3 garlic cloves)
- Old Bay Seasoning (or similar creole seasoning), to taste
- ¼ cup of parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup of sharp cheddar cheese
- Fresh cracked black pepper (optional), to taste
How to Make Baked Talaba
Preheat
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook other ingredients
While the oven is heating, mince your garlic while gently melting your butter in a pan over medium-low heat.
Cook garlic in butter
Once butter is melted, toss your garlic in the butter until the garlic is fragrant. Shut off the heat.
Season each oyster
Work quickly to separate the browned garlic from the butter using a sieve or slotted spoon. Then, distribute the melted butter evenly over each oyster and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning and cracked black pepper if using.
Add garlic and cheese
Layer each oyster with the separated seared garlic and a hefty portion of cheese until you’ve used the entire amount of each.
Bake
Bake until the cheese is fully melted and browned, usually about 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy!
Put in platter and enjoy!
Baked Oysters With Cheese Without Shell
Want to enjoy baked oysters with cheese but without the shell? We’ve got you! Check out the following recipe for tasty “un-shelled” oysters in a hurry!
Ingredients:
- 24 unshelled oysters
- 2 tablespoons of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 4 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons of fresh oregano, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup of melted butter (you can use an olive oil butter substitute if you wish)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese
- A dash of red pepper flakes (opt)
Directions:
- Preheat your broiler.
- Add your unshelled oysters to a bowl along with your melted butter, herbs, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, creole seasoning, and vinegar. Stir to coat well.
- Once coated, remove your oysters from the mixing bowl and distribute them onto a shallow-lined baking sheet.
- Evenly coat your oysters in a blend of parmesan and sharp cheddar cheese.
- Place cheese-covered oysters in the broiler to broil for 2 minutes or until browned and bubbling.
- Serve.
FAQs About Baked Talaba
What Is the Price of Baked Talaba?
Depending on where you live, where you buy your oysters, and general supply and demand, oysters can range anywhere from $1-3 per single oyster. This means that eating oysters on a regular basis could get pretty expensive. Nevertheless, eating oysters on occasion can feel like a rare and coveted delicacy that you can feel free to enjoy from time to time when you are able.
Can Oysters Be Eaten Without the Shell?
Oysters can absolutely be eaten without their shell. Though most recipes that call for “shucked” oysters” will simply have the top portion of the shell removed and not the bottom. For a completely “shell-less” recipe for making baked oysters, be sure to view our recipes in this post!
What Is a Shucked Oyster?
When a person refers to a “shucked” oyster, they are typically referring to an oyster that has had the top of the shell removed. This makes it easy to coat the oyster in whatever delicious ingredients are needed and allows the inside of the oyster to get nicely cooked and golden brown.
Still, it is very possible to cook an oyster without the shell. This might be referred to as an “unshelled” oyster. An unshelled oyster is often broiled or baked, but frying or steaming methods may also be used.
Can You Make Talaba Without an Oven?
There are many ways to cook oysters including frying and steaming them. But, you’ll want to follow directions on how to do this very closely for each separate method.
Baked Talaba: A Delicious and Savory Meal!
Baked talaba is a meal that has its roots in Filipino cuisine and is loved by people all over the globe. Though oysters can be pricey, it is often worth the buy once you realize how delicious and easy to make talaba can be!
We hope you’ll try it– we’re confident that you won’t be disappointed!
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