West Coast Oysters with Dried Salmon, Manzanita Powder, and Wood Sorrel
Reprinted with permission from 'Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America' by Sean Sherman with Kate Nelson and Kristin Donnelly © 2025 by Sean Sherman. Photographs copyright © 2025 by David Alvarado. Illustrations copyright © 2025 by Jimmy Dean Horn Jr. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
To me, this is the taste of Northern California in one bite: a local oyster, topped with feathery bits of dried salmon, sweet-tangy manzanita berry powder, and lemony wood sorrel. I made 500 of these oysters once at the Worlds of Flavor conference at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, with only one culinary student helping me. Hopefully, shucking two dozen oysters won’t feel too taxing.
This recipe comes from chef Sean Sherman’s new cookbook, Buy the book here. It can also be found in the article “These Are the Best Wines to Drink This Winter.”
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How to Make It
1
Using a mortar and pestle or a mini food processor, pound or pulse the berries to a fine powder. Sift the powder into a bowl to remove the seeds.
2
Clean out the mortar or mini food processor and dry it well, then use it to pound or process the salmon jerky until it’s fluffy. Transfer to a bowl.
3
Shuck the oysters and arrange them on the half-shell on a platter or two of ice.
4
To serve, sprinkle each oyster with equal amounts of the salmon jerky, manzanita powder, and a wood sorrel leaf.
Ingredients
24 dried manzanita berries or bearberries
½ oz salmon jerky, torn into small pieces
2 dozen Pacific oysters
24 wood sorrel leaves, for garnish
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