Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large rimmed baking sheets
• •Oyster knife (if shucking yourself)
• •Large skillet (12-inch)
• •Small saucepan

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the oysters

   If your oysters aren't already shucked, do that first. Scrub the shells under cold running water to remove any grit. Use an oyster knife to pop the hinge, sliding the blade along the top shell to sever the muscle. Remove the top shell, keeping as much liquor as possible in the bottom. Check each oyster for shell fragments. Nestle them in a single layer on a sheet pan and refrigerate while you make the topping.

   Ask your fishmonger to shuck them for you if you're not confident. Just tell them you need them on the half shell, and you'll cook them within two hours.
2. 2

   Wilt the spinach

   Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about three minutes. Add the garlic and let it bloom for thirty seconds. You should smell it. Now add all that spinach. It looks like a mountain, but trust me, it will collapse. Toss constantly with tongs until wilted completely, about two minutes. The color should stay bright green.

3. 3

   Build the green mixture

   Transfer the wilted spinach mixture to a cutting board and chop it fine. You want small pieces that will spread evenly over the oysters. Return everything to the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the green onion tops, parsley, and tarragon. Stir to combine. Now pour in the Pernod. It will sizzle and steam. Let it cook for thirty seconds to burn off the raw alcohol while keeping that beautiful anise perfume.

   Herbsaint is the traditional New Orleans choice if you can find it. Pernod works beautifully. In a pinch, a splash of ouzo will do. What you're after is that licorice whisper.
4. 4

   Season and enrich

   Pour in the heavy cream and stir well. Season with the salt, black pepper, cayenne, and white pepper. Here's where you taste. Dip a spoon in, blow on it, and taste. The mixture should be well-seasoned, savory, herbaceous, with warmth from the peppers and that subtle anise note floating underneath. Adjust as needed. The oysters are briny, so don't go crazy with salt, but don't be timid either.

   The white pepper gives a lingering warmth that black pepper doesn't. This is a Creole secret: we often use both together for depth.
5. 5

   Prepare the topping

   In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Let the breadcrumb mixture stand ready. You'll use the melted butter for drizzling at the end, so keep it warm.

6. 6

   Assemble the oysters

   Preheat your broiler to high with the rack about six inches from the heat. Spread the rock salt in an even layer across one or two rimmed baking sheets. The salt holds the oysters level so you don't lose that precious topping. Nestle each oyster into the salt bed. Spoon about a tablespoon of the spinach mixture over each oyster, covering the meat completely but not mounding it too high. Sprinkle the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture generously over the top. Drizzle with that melted butter.

7. 7

   Broil until golden

   Slide the pan under the broiler. Watch it like a hawk. In three to five minutes, the topping will turn golden brown and the edges will bubble. You'll see the butter sizzling around the shells. The oysters should be just heated through, their edges barely beginning to curl. Pull them the moment the breadcrumbs achieve that beautiful burnished color. Overcooking makes oysters rubbery, and that's a tragedy.

   Every broiler is different. Stay close. The difference between perfect and burned is about thirty seconds.
8. 8

   Serve immediately

   Transfer the oysters to a serving platter, leaving most of the salt behind (or serve right on the sheet pan for casual gatherings). Arrange lemon wedges alongside and set out your favorite Louisiana hot sauce. Serve immediately while everything bubbles and the oysters are still plump. These wait for no one. When the last bite is as good as the first, you've done it right.

Chef Tips

• •Buy your oysters the day you plan to cook them. Gulf oysters are what I use at Lagniappe. Look for ones that feel heavy for their size and smell like clean seawater, not fish.
• •The rock salt isn't just for presentation. It holds heat and keeps those shells level while everything inside bubbles. Coarse sea salt works too. Don't use table salt.
• •You can make the spinach mixture up to four hours ahead. Just bring it to room temperature before spooning it over the oysters, so everything heats evenly under the broiler.
• •For a dinner party, prep everything in advance: oysters shucked and chilled, spinach mixture ready, breadcrumb topping mixed. Assembly takes five minutes, broiling takes five more. Your guests will think you're a magician.
• •Pair these with a crisp, mineral-driven white wine. Muscadet is traditional and perfect. A cold Louisiana-brewed lager works beautifully too.

Advance Preparation

• •The spinach mixture can be made up to four hours ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before assembly.
• •Oysters can be shucked up to two hours before cooking if kept refrigerated on a bed of ice, covered with a damp towel.
• •The breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture can be combined the morning of and stored at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 165g)