john's oyster bar

every casino has an oyster bar and i'm fairly sure that every oyster bar has a pan roast. i have not tried them all but i've tried enough to know that not all pan roasts were created equal. i haven't found one here in town that was particularly memorable. however, i work in reno several times a year and i always make a point to visit john's oyster bar inside of john ascuaga's nugget. and while i enjoy it a lot, i've also thought it needed a bit of something. its mostly just broth and shrimp. i always thought that if i lived in reno, i would get the pan roast to go, go home, and add potatoes or peas. that would make a fine feast. then i found the recipe on line. the actual one from the chef at the nugget. i ran right out and bought all the stuff. i added my peas and potatoes. and it was just as great as i thought it would be!

with one exception: i felt like there was too much celery seed. its also the only spice that doesn't mix or dissolve so it felt like it was extra too much because all the seeds sank to the bottom of the bowl. i think next time i make this, i'll try to smash the seeds in my mortal/pestle. i think i'll use less since i imagine the smashed seeds will be more potent than the whole.

the recipe makes only one serving so there is going to have to be some math if you want to make for more.

JOHN'S OYSTER BAR PAN ROAST (with my alterations)
1/4 teaspoon each: butter, salt, white pepper, celery seed, paprika, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce
dash tabasco
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon cocktail sauce
1/4 cup clam juice
6 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined, or crabmeat, or a bit of both
1/4 cup peas
1 potato, cut into bit sized pieces, boiled until tender
3/4 cup half-and-half
Pat butter

in large pan over medium heat, melt butter. add salt, white pepper, celery seed, paprika, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, tabasco, white wine, cocktail sauce and clam juice. add seafood and peas, stir and bring to a full boil. add half-and-half and potatoes and return contents of pan to boil. place pat of butter in bottom of deep bowl, pour in pan roast, sprinkle with paprika and serve. enjoy!