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Portland Oyster and Bacon Pie

Source of Recipe

From "Crazy for Casseroles" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"I call this a Portland pie (though technically it's not a pie at all) for the simple reason that none other than James Beard once prepared the casserole for brunch when I visited him and some local friends one summer in Oregon. Of course, Jim made his 'pie' with those small, purplish, sublime Olympia oysters native to the West Coast and named after Washington State's Olympia Peninsula. (Actually, Olympias are harvested from Alaska down to Baja and, to add to the linguistic confusion, they're also called 'California oysters.') Since Olympias are rarely available outside the region, I use whichever small oysters look freshest in the market. The Madeira does add distinct subtlety to the casserole, but I suppose a good semi-sweet port wine—or even sweet vermouth—could be substituted with interesting results. Sometimes I do scatter a few slivered almonds over the top before drizzling on the butter."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 strips lean bacon
â—¦ 10 ounces oyster crackers, crushed
â—¦ 3 pints small fresh shucked oysters, liquor reserved
â—¦ ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
â—¦ 2 cups half-and-half
â—¦ ½ cup Madeira wine
â—¦ 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
â—¦ Salt and black pepper to taste
â—¦ Tabasco sauce to taste


Recipe

In a medium-size skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat till crisp, drain on paper towels, and crumble.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.
Scatter half the oyster crackers over the bottom of the prepared casserole, arrange half the oysters over the crackers, sprinkle half the crumbled bacon over the oysters, and drizzle half of the melted butter over the top. Repeat with another layer of crackers (reserving ½ cup of them), the remaining oysters, and bacon.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the half-and-half, Madeira, and Worcestershire, season with salt and pepper and Tabasco, stir till well blended, and pour over the oysters. Sprinkle the reserved crackers over the top, drizzle the remaining butter over the crackers, and bake till slightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings