The winter months are the peak season for oysters. While you can find them all year round, the quality of the oysters really shine while it’s cold outside. My family has a holiday get together in which multiple sacks of oysters are opened. For the ones that don’t get eaten raw, we use multiple recipes to prepare them.
One of the ways is always Char Grilled Oysters. It’s a very simple recipe which really let’s the oysters shine. What I want to share today are two recipes that you cook indoors. They are both variations of Char Grilled Oysters, with a few more ingredients. They are Roasted Oysters with Crawfish Sauce and Broiled Oysters. If you are unable to get oysters in their shell, you can use aluminum shells or even put the oysters into muffin tins. Grab the oysters and other ingredients, and Let’s head to the kitchen!
Roasted Oysters with Crawfish Sauce
Rock salt
24 fresh oysters in shell, scrubbed and left wet
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces crawfish tails, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 425℉.
Fill a sheet pan halfway full with rock salt. Place in oven for 15 minutes.
Arrange oysters on rock salt. Bake until oyster shells start to open, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a kitchen towel, pry open each oyster, and place on another sheet pan. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to broil.
In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add garlic, sauté for 30 seconds. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually add milk, thyme, and oregano; cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add cream and cheese, whisking until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Add crawfish, 1 tablespoon parsley, and creole seasoning. Divide crawfish mixture among oysters.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, add remaining2 tablespoons butter, and microwave on high until melted. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, melted butter, and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over oysters.
Broil until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.
Broiled Oysters
3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
4 cups rock salt
12 Gulf oysters
In a small skillet, add bacon, and cook on medium-high heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.Remove bacon from pan, and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, melt one tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until soft and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add bell peppers, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook just until fragrant. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.
To onion mixture, add reserved bacon, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheeses, parsley, chives, lemon juice, and Creole seasoning; stir to combine. Set aside, or cover, and refrigerate until ready to broil oysters (up to one day).
Preheat broiler to 500℉. Using a rimmed baking sheet, pour rock salt to a depth of 1/4 inch. Shuck oysters. Disconnect oyster completely from the shell, then place on one half-shell. Place oyster on the half-shell on the prepared pan. Repeat with all oysters. Place 1 tablespoon reserved onion mixture on each oyster.
Broil until bubbly and beginning to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
I find that either you love oysters or you don’t eat them. I don’t know what possessed the first person to open up the first oyster shell to discover this delicacy. I am certainly glad that they did.
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