12812 Makes 4 servings Wed Aug 06 07:57:42 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 04 06:13:26 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12812 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:13:26 GMT With so much distinctive artisanal bacon now being produced in the United States, it's little wonder that more and more gifted professional chefs are using it to create unusual dishes. Frank Stitt, owner/chef at Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Alabama, is such an innovator, and perhaps none of his dishes better illustrates the transforming power of a superior bacon than these baked oysters with a peppery topping of mustard greens and bacon. If you're unable to find young, crisp, deep-green mustard greens, an acceptable substitute is a combination of fresh spinach and watercress.

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In a large skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat till almost crisp and drain on paper towels.

Add the onion to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and stir till very soft but not browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and chile pepper and stir 2 minutes longer. Add the mustard greens, lemon zest and juice, bacon, butter, and salt and pepper and toss and stir till the butter has melted and the greens are well coated.

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

Place a small amount of greens on each oyster and sprinkle bread crumbs on top of each. Arrange the oysters on a heavy baking sheet and bake till the crumbs are golden and the oysters heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

]]> http://www.chow.com James Villas 50 Main ¼ pound hickory- or applewood-smoked bacon, finely diced

]]> 1 medium onion, finely diced

]]> 2 garlic cloves, finely diced

]]> 1 small hot red chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped

]]> 4 cups loosely packed, washed, drained, and finely chopped mustard greens

]]> Zest and juice of 1 lemon

]]> 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces

]]> Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

]]> 2 dozen fresh oysters on the half shell

]]> 1 cup coarse white bread crumbs

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