Now that the Holiday season is officially in place (squeal!) we can talk about fancy appetizers. As I mentioned before, oysters are in season here on the Eastern Shore. So naturally they’re something that we always turn to, to enjoy at all those festive and special holiday gatherings!
This is my twist on Oysters Rockefeller. A plump oyster baked with a creamed garlic spinach, garlicky bread crumbs, and a pinch of Parmesan cheese. They’re a breeze to throw together once you have the oysters shucked, and are so darned impressive. I mean, how good do they look just served on a simple wooden cutting board?
The couple of batches I’ve made already this season have been gobbled up in a matter of moments! Looking forward to making these a few more times before New Years! I hope everyone is having a good time decorating, and getting ready for the holidays. We went and got our Christmas tree this past weekend, and I can’t wait to get it up and decorated. Happy Holidays, everyone!
Oysters Rockefeller
8 Tbsp butter
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 (10 oz) bag baby spinach
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
20 oysters, shucked and on the half-shell
Preheat oven to 425.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot, and saute until soft and fragrant – about 2 minutes.
Pour half of the melted butter mixture into a small bowl and combine with the breadcrumbs. Toss to combine and set aside.
To the remainder of the butter in the skillet, add the baby spinach. If it doesn’t all fit, just let it cook down some, and then add more. Season with salt and toss until wilted. Slowly stir in the cream and let reduce for a minute before removing from heat.
Carefully place the oysters on a baking sheet. Spoon a small amount of the spinach mixture onto each oyster, then top with about 2 teaspoons of the breadcrumb mixture and a small pinch of Parmesan cheese.
Place in oven and bake until oysters have plumped up, about 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve immediately with lemon wedges and hot sauce, if desired.
