Oysters Rockefeller

Created at Antoine’s restaurant in New Orleans in 1889, oysters Rockefeller was named for John D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest Americans, for its rich sauce. Although Antoine’s has kept the original recipe a guarded secret, it basically includes a cream sauce with spinach and other greens, flavored with Pernod or anisette. This healthier version omits the cream sauce but is still full of flavor from the herbs, hot sauce and bacon...yes, I said bacon!

 

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 24 small-to-medium oysters
• 4 cups gently packed baby spinach
• 2 cups gently packed watercress, tough stems removed (or just add more spinach)
• ½  cup gently packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive-oil based spread
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a somewhat stale whole-grain bread)
• Dashes of hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Pernod liquor (don’t skip this one for the authentic flavor)
• 1 teaspoon Chartreuse herbal liquor (optional really)
• 3 slices of bacon for garnish (yeh, I know but it’s only 3 slices for 4 people so savor it)
• 4 cups sea salt as base for baking pan

Preparation

·         Toss together watercress, spinach, scallion greens, parsley, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bread crumbs in a bowl.

·         Melt the spread in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add watercress mixture and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

·         Stir in Pernod and Chartreuse, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.

·         Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

·         While watercress mixture chills, cook bacon in a sauté over medium heat, turning, until good and crisp, then drain on paper towels and finely crumble.

·         Spread a generous amount of sea salt in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and nestle oysters (in shells) in it.

·         Spoon watercress mixture evenly over oysters, then top with bacon and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons bread crumbs.

·         Bake oysters until edges of oysters begin to curl and bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes.

Serve the oysters warm, in shells, nestled in sea salt. Compliment with a dash of hot sauce and a cool, crisp Pinot Grigio and enjoy!

Nutrition

Per serving: 147 calories; 7 g fat ( 4 g sat , 1 g mono ); 41 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 6 g added sugars; 6 g protein; 1 g fiber; 217 mg sodium; 295 mg potassium.