Oysters Rockefeller
Tags: #appetizer #seafood #classic
Serving: 4 servings (12 pieces)
Total time: 35 minutes
Broiled oysters topped with a rich green herb-butter and crisp breadcrumbs, finished with a whisper of anise from Pernod.
Ingredients
- 12 live oysters in shell
- 500 g coarse kosher salt (for bedding)
- 90 g unsalted butter, divided
- 40 g shallot, finely chopped
- 8 g garlic, minced
- 120 g baby spinach, chopped
- 30 g flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- 4 g fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
- 30 ml Pernod (or other anise liqueur)
- 10 ml lemon juice
- 2 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 50 g fresh breadcrumbs, finely ground
- 10 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, ground
- 0.5 g cayenne pepper
- 4 lemon wedges, to serve
Steps
- Set the broiler to high.
- Spread the coarse salt on a rimmed sheet pan.
- Rinse the oysters under cold water.
- Shuck the oysters to release the top shells.
- Detach the oyster meats from the bottom shells.
- Strain the oyster liquor through a fine sieve.
- Place the oyster meats back into the deep shells.
- Nestle the shells into the salt bed to stabilize them.
- Melt 30 g butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sweat the shallot in the butter for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the skillet.
- Cook the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the spinach to the skillet.
- Wilt the spinach for 1 minute.
- Add the parsley to the skillet.
- Add the tarragon to the skillet.
- Cook the herbs for 30 seconds.
- Pour the Pernod into the skillet.
- Reduce the liquid by half.
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Cook the mixture for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the mixture to a food processor.
- Add 60 g butter to the processor.
- Add the lemon zest, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne to the processor.
- Process the mixture to a smooth paste.
- Scrape the paste into a piping bag or a zip-top bag.
- Toss the breadcrumbs with the olive oil in a bowl.