Oysters With Spinach and Lemon Sauce

Purchase oysters from a reputable seafood seller. The fresher the better, so ask when they were harvested and avoid oysters more than 3 days old. Look for oysters that are tightly closed and displayed on ice. At home, give them a good scrub and store them over ice in the refrigerator, either in a mesh bag or loosely wrapped in a kitchen towel. Do not place them directly on the ice - the fresh water will harm the. Adapted from Yankee Magazine.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 12 oysters

Ingredients

• 12  oysters, scrubbed
• 4  tablespoons heavy cream
• 1  lemon, juice and zest of
• 1⁄2 cup  stick unsalted butter, cut into eight pieces
• 1⁄2 cup  wilted spinach, finely chopped

Directions

1. Carefully shuck the oysters, reserving their liquor and bottom shell, and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream and lemon zest, then reduce until the cream has thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until fully incorporated.
4. Whisk in the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper.
5. Add oysters and their liquor to the sauce, then cook over a very low heat, until the edges begin to curl.
6. Using about 1 tablespoon spinach (depending on the size of the shell), make a "bed" in the oyster shell, lay one oyster in the bed, and spoon a small amount of sauce over the top.
7. Serve immediately.