Baked Oysters Melanie
Servings 12 people
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Champagne or other dry sparkling wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoons butter room temperature, barely firm
- 24 live oysters shucked with nectar; retain bottom shells
- 12 ounces brie 24 slices (1/8 inch each) to top oysters
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- pinch sea salt
- dash fresh ground pepper
- 4 cups rock salt
- Lemon wedges and dill sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spread the rock salt on a baking sheet and arrange the oyster shells on the salt. The salt helps distribute the heat and stabilizes the oysters.
- Combine champagne and cream in a saucepan. Reduce over medium heat to about 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Blend the flour into the butter and add mixture a little at a time to the champagne cream while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Season with sea salt, pepper and the chopped dill or tarragon.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and reserve.
- Heat oysters and their nectar in a saute pan 3-5 minutes until the edges of the oysters begin to curl.
- Put an oyster in each shell, spoon 2 teaspoons of sauce over each and top with a slice of brie.
- Bake oysters 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and browned.
- Arrange oysters on the serving plates and garnish with lemon and fresh dill sprigs. Serve with warm crusty bread and remaining Champagne.
Notes
Source: McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant Cookbook
Substitute: You can substitute 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon for the dill for stronger anise flavor.
Preparation time: 20 minutes (depending on how fast you can shuck oysters).