Oysters Rockefeller Recipe

Shuck

Clean shells under cold running water with a stiff brush. Place a kitchen towel on the counter, cup an oyster in the towel, insert an oyster knife at the hinge and twist to pop. Run the knife under the oyster to sever the muscle and preserve as much liquor as possible. Place oysters on a baking sheet and cover with a damp towel or place on a bed of rock salt to keep level.

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Arrange a layer of rock salt on a baking sheet or in individual baking pans to stabilize oysters so they stay level during baking.

Cook bacon and aromatics

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy and most fat is rendered, about 6–8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan. Add 2 tbs of the unsalted butter to the pan. Add minced shallots and cook until translucent, 2–3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Wilt spinach

Add chopped spinach in batches to the skillet, stirring until wilted and reduced — this will take about 3–5 minutes. If the pan becomes dry, add up to 1 tablespoon butter. After spinach is wilted, stir in the chopped parsley and cook 1 minute more.

Deglaze and finish

Carefully add Pernod (or dry vermouth) to deglaze the pan; allow alcohol to cook off for about 1 minute while scraping up browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan; cook 1–2 minutes until mixture is cohesive but not soupy. Remove from heat and stir in cooked bacon, breadcrumbs, lemon zest (if using), salt, black pepper, and Tabasco if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. If topping seems too loose, add an additional tablespoon of breadcrumbs or 1 tbs grated Parmesan to reach a spreadable consistency.

Spoon about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the spinach-parsley-bacon mixture onto each shucked oyster, spreading to cover the meat but leaving some edges exposed. Sprinkle a light dusting of additional grated Parmesan and a pinch of breadcrumbs over each topped oyster. Dot each oyster with a little melted butter (about 1/4 teaspoon) to encourage browning.

Place the oysters on the prepared rock-salt-lined baking sheet so they sit level. Bake in the preheated 450°F (230°C) oven for 8–10 minutes, until topping is bubbly and lightly golden. For more caramelized tops, finish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

Remove oysters from oven and let rest 1–2 minutes. Serve hot on the salt bed with lemon wedges alongside. Provide small forks for eating. Leftover topping can be reheated gently and used for additional oysters or toast.