Oysters Rockefeller
- 3 1/2 oz (100g) baby leaf spinach, rinsed
- 1/4 cup chopped shallots
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 24 live oysters in their shells
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Rock salt
- 3 tbsp Pernod
- Oyster knife
- Blender (optional)
- 4 heatproof serving dishes
- Cook the spinach (with any water clinging from rinsing) in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until wilted.
- Drain well, and squeeze dry to remove any excess liquid.
- Pulse the spinach, shallots, parsley, and garlic until combined and very finely chopped in a blender or food processor; set aside.
- Meanwhile, to shell the oysters, cover the palm of one hand with a folded kitchen towel and grip an oyster, flat side up with the hinge toward you.
- Insert an oyster knife horizontally into the hinge and twist, then slide the knife left and right to loosen the shell.
- Very carefully lift off the top shell, then use the knife to loosen the oyster from the bottom.
- Reserve the liquid from the shell, then refrigerate the oyster in its shell and repeat until all the oysters are open.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Whisk in the flour, and let bubble for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the reserved oyster liquid.
- Stir in the spinach mixture, anchovies, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
- Spread a thick layer of rock salt in 4 heatproof serving dishes large enough to hold 6 oysters each.
- Place on baking sheets and bake 5 minutes to heat the salt.
- Stir the Pernod into the spinach.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Remove the dishes with the salt from the oven and arrange 6 oysters in their shells in each.
- Spoon the sauce over the oysters and bake about 5 minutes, or until the sauce looks set.
- Serve immediately.
baby leaf spinach, shallots, parsley, garlic, live oysters, butter, flour, anchovy, cayenne pepper, salt, salt, pernod, oyster, heatproof serving
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/oysters-rockefeller-2 (may not work)