Oysters Bienville

Submitted by Molly53

"A wonderful oyster dish from the heart of the south, New Orleans. This would also make a memorable appetizer."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 21
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• For the roux

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1⁄2 cups flour

• For the sauce

• 1⁄4 cup butter (no substitutions)
• 1⁄2 cup onion, minced
• 1 cup green onion, minced
• 1 cup celery, minced
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 cup small shrimp, cleaned and peeled
• 1 teaspoon thyme, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon parsley, minced
• 2 -3 drops Angostura bitters
• 2 -3 drops Tabasco sauce
• salt and pepper
• 1⁄4 cup white wine (Chardonnay or Pino Grigio are wonderful, but whatever you have on hand will do)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1⁄2 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 dozen oysters (uncooked, on the half shell)
• rock salt

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Make the roux by mixing the flour and butter together; cook slowly and stir constantly, taking care not to scorch until mixture is peanut butter colored.
3. Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a saute pan; add onion, green onion, celery and mushrooms.
4. Cook until onion becomes transparent, but not brown.
5. Add the garlic and shrimp.
6. Simmer for ten minutes; add seasonings, white wine, lemon juice and cream.
7. Add the roux a bit at a time until the sauce thickens.
8. Stir in the bread crumbs; set aside.
9. Place rock salt in a large baking pan (or several smaller ones; nestle the oysters in the shell securely into the rock salt.
10. Cover each oyster with the sauce and bake for ten minutes, or until the oysters heat through and the sauce browns slightly.
11. Serve while hot.

Reviews

[Ashleybakes]

We made this without the wine or the breadcrumbs, and baked it in a baking dish (didn't want the mess of cleaning dirty oyster shells) and it was delicious. The sauce was a little bit thin, but we ate them over crackers and everyone loved it.