Hangtown Fry

It was a hit by the people of Placerville, California, during the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s; the Hangtown fry has the highest quality and most expensive ingredients, including bacon, eggs, and oysters. This Hangtown fry is typically eaten as a flat round Omelet. However, the chef Timothy Hollingsworth of Otium in Los Angeles was inspired during his stay working at The French Laundry to create an omelet that was rolled and adorned the already luxurious dish with beurre blanc and caviar as well as the traditional bacon and oysters fried. This dish is a tribute to his hometown of Otium.

Ingredients

• Three center-cut bacon slices (about 2 1/4 ounces), thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/4 cup tap water
• Three tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) dry vermouth
• One tablespoon minced shallot (from 1 [1-ounce] shallot)
• Four raw small oysters, shucked, plus two tablespoons reserved oyster liquid, divided
• Five tablespoons plus one teaspoon of cold unsalted butter, divided
• One teaspoon of grapeseed oil, plus more for frying
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup chilled sparkling water
• Three large eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Two tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• Two teaspoons minced fresh chives
• 1/8 teaspoons black pepper, plus more to taste
• One tablespoon osetra or Kaluga caviar (from 1 [1-ounce] jar) (see Note)
• Edible flowers (optional)

Directions

1. Make bacon and cook in a nonstick 10-inch skillet at medium-high, stirring often until crisp and rendered, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the cooking with a slotted spoon, and transfer the bacon to an unlined paper towel to put aside. The bacon fat should be removed, and then clean the skillet.
2. Mix 1/4 cup vermouth, tap water, shallot, and reserve two tablespoons of oyster liquid in an individual saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium. Keep stirring frequently until liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. At the same time you’re cooking, cut four tablespoons of butter into one tablespoon of pieces.
3. Remove the vermouth mixture from the cooking, and then add butter pieces one at a moment, mixing or swirling the pan well following each addition to help emulsify the sauce until it is soft with a slight thickening. Set aside and cover until you are ready to use.
4. Make sure to fill a small saucepan with oil to an approximate height of about 1 1/2. Heat up to 350 degF on medium heat. Mix rice flour with sparkling water in a small bowl until the batter consistency is thick and smooth. Utilizing tongs, dip oysters into the batter, letting the excess batter run off. Transfer oysters into the hot oil. Cook until crisp and lightly golden, around 1 minute. Transfer oysters onto an empty paper towel-lined plate using a spoon with a slotted handle. Sprinkle with salt according to your preference. Set aside.
5. Whisk eggs and salt together in a large bowl until soft and slightly foamy. Approximately 30 seconds. Cook butter and oil in a 10-inch saucepan on medium heat. Add eggs and cook, stirring continuously using a heat-resistant rubber spatula, scraping the skillet edges until curds form approximately 45 minutes. Shake the skillet to distribute eggs across the surfaces. Reduce heat to medium; cook in a quiet, uninhibited manner until eggs are set to form a fine layer over the bottom of the skillet, approximately 1 minute. Sprinkle Parmesan and chives with pepper and bacon left over across the middle of the eggs. Fold one edge of the Omelet towards the center and place it over-filling. Add the remaining teaspoon of butter to the empty side of the skillet close to the edge that is folded of the Omelet. Turn the skillet around to coat it with butter melt. Utilizing a spatula, make omelets completely and encase the filling. Remove from the heat.
6. 2. Spoon 2 tablespoons of vermouth sauce onto an unlit plate. The Omelet is rolled out from the skillet and placed seam-side down on the sauce. If you have them, serve them with caviar, fried oysters, and edible flowers, and do right away with sauce remaining.