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New Year's: Oysters Rockefeller

Source of Recipe


From "The Best of Gourmet"



List of Ingredients



• ¾ cup firmly packed watercress sprigs, finely chopped
  
• 1-1/3 cups firmly packed baby spinach, finely chopped
  
• 3 Tbsp finely chopped scallion greens
  
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
• 2 tsp minced celery
  
• 3 Tbsp coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a day-old baguette)
  
• 3½ Tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 1 tsp Pernod, or other anise-flavored liquor
  
• Pinch of cayenne
  
• 3 bacon slices
  
• About 10 cups kosher salt, for baking and serving (3 pounds)
  
• 20 small oysters on the half shell, oysters picked over for shell fragments, and shells scrubbed well
  






Instructions



1. Toss together watercress, spinach, scallion greens, parsley, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bread crumbs in a bowl. Melt butter 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, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste; then transfer mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, until cold (about 1 hour).
   
   
2. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450° F.
   While watercress mixture chills, cook bacon in cleaned skillet over moderate heat, turning, until crisp; then drain on paper towels and finely crumble.
   
   
3. Spread 5 cups kosher 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 warm oysters in shells, nestled in kosher salt (about 5 cups), on a platter.
   
   Serves 10 (hors d'oeuvre)