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Christmas: Oysters in Scallop Shells

Source of Recipe

From "Camille Glenn's Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookbook"


Recipe Introduction

"From the Chesapeake Bay to New Orleans, oysters are one of the South's favorite seafoods. They make a perfect first course or hors d'oeuvre, as they are light and flavorful—the very definition of an appetizer."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
â—¦ ½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
â—¦ 1 pint shucked fresh oysters
â—¦ 2 tablespoons water
â—¦ 1 or 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
â—¦ 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
â—¦ 1 tablespoon medium-dry Spanish sherry or Madeira, or more to taste
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
â—¦ Cayenne pepper to taste
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon ground mace
â—¦ 1 ½ cups buttered and toasted bread crumbs
â—¦ Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish


Recipe

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy nonstick skillet and sauté the mushrooms and red bell pepper in it until just tender, about 3 minutes (no longer, as they must remain somewhat crisp). Set aside. Drain the oysters. Using sharp, thin scissors, cut the oysters in half, or in thirds if they're very large. Set them aside.

Combine 1 tablespoon of the butter with the water in a skillet and sauté the shallots until they are limp but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the flour and blend. Add the cream and simmer until the roux has thickened, stirring constantly. In another pan, heat the oysters over a low heat until they begin to curl. Drain them, reserving the liquid.

Add the oysters and the sautéed mushrooms and bell pepper to the roux. If the mixture is too thick, thin it with some of the reserved oyster liquid (not with more cream). Season with the sherry, salt, white pepper, cayenne, and mace.

Heat the mixture, but do not allow it to boil.
Spoon it into tiny scallop shells, sprinkle with the bread crumbs and parsley, and serve at once.

Serves 6 to 8