Oysters Rach-A-Feller
Don't let oysters intimidate you! With the right knife and a little practice, anyone can get the hang of shucking. Still not convinced? You can always ask your fishmonger to do the dirty work for you.
Ingredients
- Rock salt or coarse salt, for lining baking sheet
- 24 oysters, shucked on the half shell
- 2 tbsp. EVOO
- 2 oz. pancetta or bacon, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, chopped or grated
- 2 tsp. Calabrian chile paste or 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
- ½ cup dry (white) vermouth or ¼ cup Pernod
- 2 cups finely chopped spinach
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Handful fresh parsley, chopped (about ¼ cup)
- 1 lemon, cut into small wedges, seeded
Directions
Step 1
Set a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 450°. Fill a large baking sheet with salt (about 4 cups, enough to make a stable bed for the oysters) and nestle in the oysters in their half shells.
Step 2
Heat EVOO in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta or bacon and stir to render for 2 minutes. Add butter, shallot, garlic, and chile paste or flakes, swirling for 1 minute. Pour in vermouth, swirl, and remove from heat. Add spinach and lemon zest, stirring, until wilted. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in panko and Parmigiano-Reggiano until combined.
Step 3
Spoon mixture evenly on top of oysters. Bake until tops are golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with parsley and arrange on plates or a platter with lemon wedges.