fried oyster tacos with tomatillo-avocado salsa.

Oh, how I enjoy fried oysters.

It’s like biting into a little pillow from briny seafood heaven. Creamy oyster surrounded by a crispy-crunchy deep-fried coating? Can’t go wrong with that!

If ever I see them on a menu, I order. Love them on a sandwich, po’ boy-style, and I also love fish tacos – so fried oyster tacos seemed like a perfect idea.

The fried oysters are so good on their own, you just might want to eat them that way. And they’re easy to make at home, as long as you don’t mind getting down with a big pot of oil.

You could serve them on their own as an appetizer with the salsa (probably better more puréed than chunky as it is used in the taco) or the crema as a dip. And really, you could even play with the flavors in the coating to give the oysters a different spin. As in, use 1 cup all-purpose flour and then your own favorite spices to replace the adobo. If you wanted to keep it true to New Orleans, you could make a rémoulade sauce, for example. Major yum.

And of course, you can go with the Mexican route I’ve provided here. I love the tangy tomatillos and creamy avocados with the crunchy oysters, and the smoky-spice and coolness from the chipotle crema adds another layer of flavor.

These bad boys are just begging to be enjoyed over a pitcher of margaritas, don’t you think? And don’t forget to buy some tortilla chips in case you’ve got extra salsa.

Fried Oyster Tacos with Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa + Chipotle-Lime Crema

• Peanut oil, for frying
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
• 2 dozen oysters 
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup masa harina
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon adobo seasoning
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Corn or flour tortillas 
• Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa, recipe below
• Chipotle-Lime Crema, recipe below

Heat a pot of oil (about 2/3 full) to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, combine buttermilk and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl. Drop the oysters into the buttermilk and allow them to hang out there until the oil is heated.

Combine flour, masa, cornmeal, and adobo in another shallow bowl. When oil is hot, remove the oysters from the buttermilk in batches of 6, and coat them in the flour mixture. Shake to remove excess and gently drop them into the hot oil. Fry for about 2 minutes, depending on the size of the oyster, until golden and crispy, turning them gently as needed. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and season immediately.

Serve with toasty tortillas of your choice, salsa, and crema. Enjoy!

Chunky Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa:

• 2 pounds tomatillos
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves
• 2 serrano chile peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 avocados, diced

Chipotle-Lime Crema:

• 1 cup sour cream (use 1/2 fat-free Greek yogurt if you want to lighten it up)
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
• Kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste.