Traditional Oysters Rockefeller can be served as an entree or appetizer. This version was modified from one originally posted on the Food Network and credited to Tyler Florence. This recipe is easily halved or doubled.
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 white wine
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 Chesapeake Gold oysters or CB Salts, shucked on the half shell
Rock salt
Serves: 8 (Appetizer) or 4 (Entree)
Time to Prepare: 45 Minutes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Melt butter in a skillet. Saute garlic for two minutes to infuse butter.
Place 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. Deglaze the pan with wine or anise liquor. Season with salt and pepper, add dash of red pepper sauce.
Cook down for a few minutes. Finish off the bread crumbs by mixing in olive oil, Parmesan and parsley, season with salt and pepper.
Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a spoon of the bread crumb mixture.
Sprinkle a baking pan amply with rock salt. Arrange oysters on 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.
Notes
Substitute a 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained. Use paper towels to remove moisture. Use leftover spinach mixture for an omelet.
