Oysters Rockefeller

By Pierre Franey

Total Time
50 minutes
Rating
4(49)
Comments
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There are as many so-called original recipes for oysters Rockefeller as there are types of oysters. One account has it that the dish first surfaced at Antoine’s in New Orleans in 1899. It was said to have been devised by Jules Alciatore, a grandson of the restaurant’s founders. According to the story, a shortage of snails from Europe had the restaurant in jitters, and Mr. Alciatore was experimenting in the kitchen, looking for a substitute. At that time, oysters were never cooked at all, let alone fancied up with a sauce. He did so, making a sauce of watercress, scallions, celery, anise, spinach and other seasonings. It was a big hit, and he named it after America’s richest man, John D. Rockefeller. Some revisionists contend that spinach was not in the original dish. My version calls for celery, spinach, scallions, parsley, garlic, anchovy fillets and Tabasco. The anchovy is my own liberal interpretation.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 24oysters
  • 1lb. fresh spinach
  • ½cup coarsely chopped celery
  • ½cup coarsely chopped scallions
  • ½cup chopped parsley
  • 1clove garlic
  • 2anchovy fillets
  • 4tablespoons butter
  • 2tablespoons flour
  • ½cup heavy cream
  • ¼teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • ¼cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
  • 2tablespoons Ricard or Pernod
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

538 calories; 30 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 1183 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Open the oysters, leaving them on the half shell, and reserve the oyster liquor. Arrange them in a baking pan; then, chill until ready to use.

  3. Step 3

    Pick over the spinach and remove any tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse well and place in a saucepan. Cover and cook, stirring, until wilted. Drain well, and squeeze to remove all moisture.

  4. Step 4

    In the container of a food processor, combine the drained spinach, celery, scallions, parsley, garlic and anchovies. Blend to a fine texture.

  5. Step 5

    In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter. Add spinach mixture. Cook and stir for about 1 minute. Set aside.

  6. Step 6

    Heat the remaining butter in a saucepan. Add the flour, blend, and stir with a wire whisk. Add the oyster liquor, stirring vigorously with the whisk. Stir in the cream, season with Tabasco, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the spinach mixture, cheese and liqueur. Blend well and let cool. Add salt and pepper to taste.

  7. Step 7

    Spoon equal parts of the spinach mixture on top of the oysters and smooth over the tops. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until piping hot.

Ratings

4 out of 5
49 user ratings
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Comments

Amy L

Classic. Delicious. Cream and spinach - the way I remember this recipe. (Newer versions have bacon and other unecessities.) Beware: 25 minutes at 450 could easily overcook the oysters. Be careful, and err on the side of tender. I made it on the spur of the moment, so: no anchovies; white wine for Pernod, leeks for scallions; chili oil for Tobasco; and goat cheese plus extra salt for Parmesan -- but it was still delicious. Saving and incorporating the oyster juice made a good difference.

Tessa

Outstanding flavor! Cut oven time to 17 min and oysters were perfect...still fat and juicy, but warm and topping was toasted!

sue b.

After scouring the web for an oyster pizza recipe, I chose this a base for my pizza. (I live in Normandy, France, where oysters are abundant.) I wanted something without bacon. For one large pizza, I halved the spinach but kept the other quantities as is. The flavors worked very well together. I put the oysters on the pizza dough, covered with the spinach mixture, and baked at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. It was a bit hit, and the oyster liquor provided adequate saltiness.

Nyra

Wonder! I followed the recipe to the t, but had no parsley so just skipped it. The result was amazing. Let these cool a few minutes for maximum flavor. It’s like eating one bite of very flavorful oyster stew.

Meg

Excellent recipe, loved by all. So easy to make (outside the oyster shucking part). Bought these beautiful ceramic oyster shells from an artist - beautiful and functional. Put 3 shucked oysters per ceramic shell and topped with this flavorful mixture on top. Added bacon crisps on top after broiled. OUTSTANDING!

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