Food | Seasonal

In the Kitchen: A Recipe for Oysters Rockefeller

Nothing beats an oyster roast on Charleston’s sea islands! But maybe you just want to enjoy some oysters on your own at home. Order up a couple of dozen oysters from your local fish monger and throw together this elegant roasted oyster dish that originated in New Orleans.

Oysters Rockefeller (Courtesy of Food Network)
Yield: Eight servings as an appetizer
Time: 45 minutes (20 minutes prep, 25 minutes cook) 

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup bread crumbs, Panko preferred
2 shallots, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup Pernod
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash red pepper sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon chopped chervil or parsley
2 dozen oysters, on the half shell
Rock salt
Lemon wedges, for garnish 

Mignonette Sauce
3/4 cup champagne vinegar
2 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
1 tablespoon chopped chervil
1/2 lemon, juiced 

Directions
For the oysters: Melt butter in a skillet. Saute the garlic for 2 minutes to infuse the butter. Place the bread crumbs in a mixing bowl and add half the garlic butter, set aside. To the remaining garlic butter in the skillet, add shallots and spinach, cook for 3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Deglaze the pan with Pernod. Season with salt and pepper, add a dash of red pepper sauce. Allow the mixture to cook down for a few minutes. Finish off the bread crumbs by mixing in olive oil, Parmesan and chervil, season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a spoonful of the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle a baking pan amply with rock salt. Arrange the oysters in the salt to steady them. Bake in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Serve with lemon wedges and red pepper sauce. 

For the sauce: In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour before serving with oysters. Yield: 3/4 cup