Green Fairy Oysters

Name: Green Fairy Oysters
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 to 6 servings
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 18 oysters on the half shell; Salt; 2 bunches spinach, well rinsed, stems removed; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 shallots, minced; Freshly ground black pepper

By Florence Fabricant

Total Time: 40 minutes
Rating: 4(17)
Comments: Read comments

What to serve with absinthe? The liquor once known as the Green Fairy is as tricky to pair with food as it is beautiful to look at. Here is a recipe based on Daniel Boulud’s almost improbably verdant “super green” spinach served at Bar Boulud. I placed the oysters, raw, in shells that were heated in the oven, and cloaked them with the hot spinach, making the oysters deliciously, delicately warm.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 6 servings

18oysters on the half shell
Salt
2bunches spinach, well rinsed, stems removed
4tablespoons unsalted butter
2shallots, minced
Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove oysters from shells and set aside. Place shells on a baking sheet and place in oven. Have a bowl of ice and water ready.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ⅓ of the spinach, then cook a minute or two, until spinach has wilted; remove and place in ice water. Stir. Meanwhile, heat 1½ tablespoons butter in a skillet. Cook until nut-brown.
Step 3
When spinach has chilled, a few minutes, drain and place in a blender with browned butter. Blend until puréed, adding up to ⅓ cup water as needed for blender to process spinach, scraping sides of container a few times.
Step 4
Heat remaining butter in skillet. Add shallots and sauté until soft. Add remaining spinach and sauté over medium-high heat until spinach is wilted and most of liquid in pan has evaporated. Fold in spinach purée, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Step 5
Arrange hot shells on a warm platter and put an oyster in each. Briefly reheat spinach and spread a scant tablespoonful on top of each oyster, just covering it. Serve at once.