Marketing guru, author of the popular “Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook,” and founder of the Great Martha’s Vineyard Bake-Off, Julia Blanter originally hails from Australia, and moved to the Island six years ago. “My husband grew up here, and when he brought me here, it was love at first sight,” she says. When she and her husband met, they were both living in Brooklyn: “We were looking for a great community, and we found it here.”
Growing up, Blanter’s mother and sister were both wonderful cooks. “A lot of love went into their food,” she notes. “Cooking is about hospitality — making people feel loved, at home, and safe. When we moved here, I went straight to the farmers market. I fell in love with the fisherman, the farmers, and the restaurants here.”
Blanter started the Great Martha’s Vineyard Bake-Off in 2024. “It was in response to the election results, and how vulnerable many in our community must be feeling, especially our immigrant and queer neighbors, and from seeing family planning services stripped, and wanting to raise money and awareness of the services and resources we must support,” she says. “It is primarily a fundraiser for M.V. Community Services, MV Swell, and Community Action Committee of Cape and Islands, but it’s also become an opportunity for the community to gather at a time of year when Islanders can feel lonely and isolated. Plus it’s a reminder of the bakeries and eateries still open, and dedicated to bringing us delicious, freshly baked goods.”
Blanter says that “The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook” came about because she wanted to shine a light on local farmers and fishermen. “People come here for the experience of the food, but aren’t getting to know the people behind the food,” she says. “The book was a great way to do that.”
For our “In the Kitchen with” series, Blanter decided to make a recipe found in “The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook” called ‘Fishermen’s Oysters.’ This dish comes from Jeremy Scheffer, son of fishermen Roy Scheffer, who, along with his longtime partner Patricia Bergeron, tragically passed away while out on their boat recently.
“I’m sharing this recipe as a tribute to our hardworking oyster- and fishermen, including Jeremy and his father Roy,” Blanter says. “The Island owes so much to their dedication to local aquaculture, sustainability, and bringing the very best seafood to our plates. It’s also a friendly reminder to continue supporting our fish markets during the off-season, and this is a robust recipe perfect for winter nights, including Valentine’s Day.”
Blanter started by adding butter to a frying pan. Heating the pan on low, she added olive oil, rosemary, garlic, and scallion whites, sautéing them for about eight minutes. She then placed the oysters on a baking sheet covered in salt. I asked her what the salt was for, and she explained that she didn’t have an oyster pan, so the salt holds the oysters in place. Next she spooned the buttery herb sauce over each oyster, and then sautéd a bit of spinach.
On top of each oyster, Blanter placed thinly sliced pieces of cod “If you don’t have cod, you can use any fish. I want people to trust themselves when they’re cooking. You don’t have to follow a recipe exactly.”
After topping them with the cod, she added a little spinach, Parmesan cheese, scallions, black pepper, and in they went — broiled to perfection in about seven to eight minutes.
I love fish, but to be honest, I am not a fan of clams, so I have always avoided eating oysters. I was a little apprehensive at first, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, so I dove in. Lord, they were good. Hot, juicy, flavorful, and hardy — three oysters filled me right up. The combo of each ingredient knocked it out of the park. Oysters are now on my yes list.
Fishermen’s Oysters
Serves three to four oysters per person, or up to six for a hungry fisherman
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Leaves of 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped, whites and greens separated
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
24 (or 12) shucked Martha’s Vineyard Spearpoint Oysters
2 “fishermen’s” handfuls (2 cups) baby spinach
8 oz. cod, very thinly sliced into 24 (or 12) pieces
⅓ cup shredded Parmesan
Finely ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, and add the olive oil, rosemary, garlic, and
scallion whites. Sauté for eight minutes. Add the parsley and sauté until the scallions have
completely softened, about two additional minutes.
Place the oysters in an oyster pan, or on a baking sheet. Spoon the buttery herb sauce over
each oyster. Sauté the spinach in a small skillet over medium heat with a drop of water until
wilted, one minute. Squeeze out excess water from the spinach. Place an oven rack on the third shelf down from the top, and preheat the broiler. Drape a slice of cod over each oyster, then top with a little spinach. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and scallion greens, and season with black pepper. Broil until golden and bubbling, seven to eight minutes. Serve hot.
