Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Ostion - el afrodisiaco que viene del mar...








El manjar más sensual que proviene del mar es sin duda alguna el ostión, afrodisíaco, rico en proteína, desprovisto de grasas y 30% menos colesterol que cualquier carne, y por si fuera poco delicioso al paladar.

Los ostiones están dentro de la gama de mariscos que más se vende en el mundo, no solo por su sabor inigualable sino por su alto aporte nutricional, ya que los ostiones superan a las carnes rojas en contenido de vitamina B12 sin las toxinas que la carne tiene, además de su vitamina C y mucho hierro.

Al igual que el Camarón, el Ostión tiene niveles de colesterol pero no alarmantes, que se compensan con sus proteínas y vitaminas, además, la fama de ser afrodisíacos no es en balde, ya que los mucopolisacáridos que poseen estimulan la producción de fluido seminal en el hombre y elevan la libido y la potencia sexual.

El Zinc es otro mineral que le sobra al ostión, lo cual también ayuda al adecuado funcionamiento de la próstata, según estudios del Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA) de la Universidad de Chile.


Los estudios también arrojan, que este molusco tiene ácidos grasos omega 3 que es fundamental para el sistema nervioso central y ayuda al adecuado desarrollo del feto en el primer trimestre de embarazo, además, aporta una fuente muy baja de carbohidratos, por lo que no engorda y además nutre.

Todos e
stos nutrientes combinados ayudan al buen funcionamiento del corazón y a tener una piel saludable.

Nada mejor que el ostión acompañado de unas gotas de limón, sal y salsa al gusto con un delicioso arroz, un alimento nutritivo y saludable.

México es un productor importante a nivel mundial de ostión y Bahía Falsa del estado de Baja California es el orgullo del país, produciendo lo que muchos consideran el ostión mas rico del mundo...

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

RECIPE: Bahia Falsa Spicy Fried Oysters

The Pacific Giga and Kumamoto oysters from Bahia Falsa in San Quintin, Baja California, Mexico are truly in a class all their own. These world famous delicacies are grown in a very unique protected bay that enjoys year round certified, pristine clear waters due to a very unique location that permits excellent water circulation and relatively cool bay temperatures. Oysters from Bahia Falsa are widely considered to be among the very best tasting specimens on the planet.

The San Quintin locals have a special love for oysters and are our very best clients, enjoying them mostly raw but we also serve them grilled, fried and baked. Our friend oysters are especially popular and here is one of our recipes for tasty (and simple to make) spicy fried oysters...

Bahia Falsa Spicy Fried Oysters

 Ingredients
Oysters (Gigas or Kumamotos)
Vegetable or peanut oil
All-purpose flour
Buttermilk
Chicken bouillon
Dijon mustard
Onion powder (not salt) 
Chipotle chiles in adobo
Mayonnaise
Sour cream
Diced green onions
Grated parmesan cheese
Limes
Your favorite Hot SauceYield: 1 dozen large oysters

Prepare the Oysters
Shuck the oysters, rinse and store the meat in a bowl in the refrigerator or on ice. Wash and set aside the oyster shell bottom halves for serving later. 

Chipotle Mayo
Depending on your taste and tolerance for hot/spicy, combine 1 to 4 chipotle chiles (1=very mild / 2=spicy / 3=very spicy / 4=fire engine HOT!), 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of sour
cream and the juice squeezed from 6-8 small limes into a blender. Puree until smooth and chipotles are completely chopped. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Tempura
Prepare the frying batter by combining 2 cup of buttermilk with 1/2 cup of flour. Mix well and add 1/2 teaspoon each of chicken bouillon and onion powder along with 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard. Continue mixing until the texture becomes a uniform, smooth batter. 

Directions

1. Heat some oil in a saucepan to 350°F (180°C)

2. Lightly roll the chilled oysters on a plate of flour and remove. Batter the oysters and fry them until golden. Drain on paper towels.

3. To serve, spread some chipotle mayo into a shell and press 1 fried oyster down into the chipotle mayo. Add a squirt of lime and then spoon some sour cream on top, finishing it all off with a sprinkle of diced green onions, parmesan cheese and hot sauce to taste. 


Goes great with a cold beer, your favorite white wine or even a margarita! Just invite over some friends and turn up the music to complete the party!

Come and join us on facebook:


La Ostionera at Bahia Falsa on facebook

Monday, May 1, 2017

8 Wonderful Benefits Of Oysters

Oysters are unusual and delicious molluscs that provide the human body with a number of unique nutrients and minerals, which subsequently result in some great health benefits. These include the ability of oysters to aid weight loss attempts, boost metabolic activity, increase tissue repair and growth, lower your cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, improve your immune functions, aid in wound healing, and promote healthy growth. Furthermore, they are considered a powerful aphrodisiac, can improve blood circulation, and increase bone strength to reduce osteoporosis.

Oysters are one type of bivalve molluscs that are eaten by cultures throughout the world. There are multiple varieties of oysters, some of which primarily create pearls; these are not typically consumed by people, but the variety of oysters bearing the scientific family name of Ostreidae are eaten as a delicacy. These are also called true oysters, while feathered oysters (those bearing pearls) are in a distant family called Pteriidae. Edible oysters have been a part of the human diet for at least 700 years, but have likely been eaten in raw or cooked forms for much longer. The edible components are the meat inside the oyster, and once the shells have been cracked, you can cook this meat in a variety of ways, but they can also be eaten raw, and is often preferred in that way.

The valves in oysters can actually cleanse entire ecosystems of pollutants and are a major benefit to the environment, however, in recent years, the oyster population of the world has dropped significantly, resulting in weaker overall ecosystems in the areas where oysters once flourished. This drop in population has been caused by invasive species and general environmental decline. This has made oysters even more of a delicacy, and the price has significantly increased around the world.

Nutritional Value Of Oysters

The impressive health benefits of oysters come from its vast stockpiles of minerals, vitamins, and organic compounds. In fact, certain mineral varieties are in their highest content in oysters, meaning that they are the premiere food item in the entire world for supplementation, particularly of zinc. The other components include very high levels of protein, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, copper, manganese, and selenium. Oysters also contain
high levels of niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin C, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. Finally, oysters are a huge source of beneficial cholesterol, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and water. These elements of oysters make them an extremely healthy food that can seriously boost your body’s overall function and health.Let’s examine some of these health benefits in greater detail.

Health Benefits Of Oysters
Aphrodisiac: As an aphrodisiac, oysters can help boost sexual performance and libido, primarily in men. The zinc content of oysters is unbelievable, and contains more than 1500% of the daily requirements of this essential mineral in a single serving. Zinc has also been closely linked to sexual dysfunction in men, while impotence and erectile dysfunction are closely associated with zinc deficiency. Therefore, eating oysters can give men their sexual edge back and increase feelings of masculinity.

Weight Loss: Oysters represent one of the most nutrient packed foods with the lowest calories versus the volume of serving size. This means that people trying to lose weight can keep their body packed with the nutrients it needs, without adding too much weight on their frame. Compared to an equal serving size of chicken, oysters have nearly half the calories, and chicken breasts are often turned to for low-calorie, protein-rich meals. Oysters are far superior in this respect, except they do have a high content of sodium, so for people already suffering from obesity, oysters may exacerbate the problem.

Protein Content: Proteins are some of the most essential parts of our diet, and oysters are a very strong source. Proteins are often broken down by the body’s enzymatic activity, and then reconstructed into usable human proteins in every part of the body. It ensures proper metabolic activity, tissue repair, cellular growth, muscle strength, and a wide variety of other necessary aspects of human health. The important of protein in the diet cannot be overstated, and a single serving of oysters provides nearly 1/3 of the daily requirement.


Heart Health: Oysters can positively impact heart health in a variety of ways, but primarily, the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids versus omega-6 fatty acids are what impact the cholesterol so greatly. Omega-3 fatty acids are known as “good” forms of cholesterol, and the high ratio of “good” to “bad” cholesterol (omega-6 fatty acids) makes oysters a major player in heart health. It can reduce the content of bad cholesterol in the blood stream and inhibit it from binding to blood vessel and artery walls. In this way, it reduces the chances of plaque accumulation and a variety of health complications, including cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the high potassium and magnesium content of oysters can help to lower blood pressure and relax the blood vessels, thereby increasing circulation and oxygenation of the blood and reducing strain on the cardiovascular system as a whole. Finally, the vitamin E in oysters increases the strength and flexibility of cellular membranes, which is a third level of protection against dangerous heart diseases.

Wound Healing: The unprecedented levels of zinc in oysters result in a number of health benefits, including quicker wound healing rates, and boosted immune system against various infections and microbes. As an essential mineral, zinc is also important for proper growth and development of children and young adults, as well as the maintenance of bodily function for people of all ages. Don’t take my word for it; read more about all of the health benefits of zinc.

Blood Circulation and Volume: Oysters are also a very impressive source of iron, with more than 90% of our daily requirements in each serving. Iron is a key component in the formation of red blood cells in the body, and are the primary defense against anemia, also known as iron deficiency, which can lead to fatigue, cognitive malfunction, stomach disorders, and general muscle weakness. Also, with a fresh supply of healthy blood cells in the circulatory system, organ systems have high levels of oxygenated blood to stimulate their activity, making them function efficiently and boosting the overall metabolic rate of the body.


Bone Health: The mineral content, as we’ve explained, is quite impressive in oysters, and that is also a major contributor to the strength of your bones. The high levels of calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, copper, and selenium all contribute in their own way to increasing bone mineral density and durability, thereby protecting your from developing conditions like osteoporosis.

Immune Function: Boosting the immune system is yet another possible health benefit of eating oysters. The vitamin C and vitamin E content, as well as various minerals that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, are able to defend the body against free radicals that are byproducts of cellular metabolism. They can attack healthy cells and mutate the DNA into cancerous cells. These dangerous free radicals also cause heart disease, premature aging, and general body disrepair wherever they lodge themselves. Antioxidants and various vitamins can eliminate these free radicals from the body, thereby boosting the immune system.