12886 Baked Oysters Two Ways: Oysters Rockefeller and Oysters Bienville Serves 8 Wed Aug 06 08:09:43 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 02:31:53 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12886 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:31:53 GMT Jules Alaciatore, the owner of Antoine's Restaurant, created the famous Oysters Rockefeller in 1899. The dish was developed as a substitute for snails, which were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain from France. Alaciatore wanted to use a shellfish that was abundant and match it with a sauce made from local greens. The resulting dish was so rich that he decided to name it after the richest man in America at that time, John D. Rockefeller. Antoine's keeps the original recipe secret and insists that it contains no spinach, but most versions today use spinach in the mix. Herbsaint, a local New Orleans liqueur developed as a substitute for absinthe, provides an anise flavor to the dish. Pharmacist J. M. Legendre developed this wormwood-free liqueur in 1934. (Pernod is an acceptable substitute.)

The dish Oysters Bienville was created by Pete Michel and Roy Alaciatore, both of Antoine's, sometime in the 1940s as a tribute to the memory of Jean Baptiste le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, the adventurer who founded the city of New Orleans in 1718. Here the oyster topping is a simple roux-based cream sauce (Béchamel) flavored with bell pepper, mushrooms, white wine, and cheese. Many chefs add minced shrimp to the stuffing, which serves to enrich it even more.

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  • For the Rockefeller sauce combine all the ingredients except the butter, in a food processor and purée very fine. Add the butter and blend until thoroughly incorporated.
  • Place the herb butter on a baking sheet lined with parchment and chill to slightly set the mixture until pliable and not hard. Form the mixture into small oval patties about 2½ × 2 inches [6 × 5 cm] and ½ inch [1 cm] thick.
  • Wrap in plastic film, refrigerate, and reserve until ready to cook. (The herb butter can be made 1 day in advance.)
  • For the Bienville sauce melt the butter in a large skillet, sauté the scallions and garlic until soft, and whisk in the flour to prevent lumps.
  • Gradually whisk in the cream, milk, stock, wine, and sherry while stirring. Continue stirring over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, white pepper, and cayenne.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the brick cheese and stir until melted. Add the shrimp and the red bell pepper and heat through. Pour the sauce into a shallow baking dish and allow it to set in the refrigerator for 1½ hours.
  • Mix the breadcrumbs and the Romano cheese together and reserve.
  • For the Oysters Rockefeller, place each oyster in a half shell and top with an herb-butter patty. Arrange the oysters, four to a prepared pan with rock salt, and bake at 500°F [260°C] for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and the edges of the oyster begin to curl. Note: If using scallop shells or ramekins, each should contain four oysters.
  • For the Oysters Bienville, place each oyster in a half shell and top with 1½ tablespoons [25 mL] of the Bienville sauce. Sprinkle the sauce lightly with the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange the oysters on a bed of rock salt and bake at 500°F [260°C] for 12 to 15 minutes, or until nicely browned on top.
  • Serve 4 oysters per person, all of one type or two of each, on the rock salt. Garnish the Oysters Rockefeller with fennel tops.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Arthur L. Meyer 50 Main 32 large live oysters, shucked, with the deeper halves of the shells reserved, well scrubbed, or 32 large shucked oysters and 32 oyster shells, 8 large scallop shells, or 8 ramekins

    ]]>     Shallow baking pans lined with rock salt

    ]]>     1½ cups [360 mL] fresh spinach, cooked in its own moisture

    ]]>     2 minutes and chopped

    ]]>     ¼ cup [60 mL] watercress or sorrel leaves, chopped

    ]]>     6 tablespoons [90 mL] scallions, including green tops, chopped

    ]]>     2 garlic cloves, minced

    ]]>     1½ tablespoons [25 mL] celery leaves, minced

    ]]>     2 tablespoons [30 mL] flat-leaf parsley, chopped

    ]]>     1½ tablespoons [25 mL] chopped fennel greens

    ]]>     1 heaping tablespoon [20 mL] fresh basil, chiffonade

    ]]>     ¼ teaspoon [1 mL] dried marjoram

    ]]>     1½ tablespoons [25 mL] anchovies, minced, or anchovy paste

    ]]>     ½ teaspoon [3 mL] salt

    ]]>     ¼ teaspoon [1 mL] white pepper

    ]]>     ¼ teaspoon [1 mL] cayenne

    ]]>     1½ tablespoons [25 mL] Herbsaint or Pernod liqueur

    ]]>     4 ounces [110 g] unsalted butter, softened

    ]]>     4 ounces [110 g] unsalted butter

    ]]>     ½ cup [120 mL] scallions, minced

    ]]>     2 garlic cloves, minced

    ]]>     ¼ cup [60 mL] sifted all-purpose flour

    ]]>     ½ cup [120 mL] heavy cream

    ]]>     6 tablespoons [90 mL] milk

    ]]>     2 tablespoons [30 mL] very rich chicken stock

    ]]>     ¼ cup [60 mL] white wine

    ]]>     ½ tablespoon [8 mL] dry sherry

    ]]>     ½ teaspoon [3 mL] salt

    ]]>     ¼ teaspoon [1 mL] white pepper

    ]]>     ¼ teaspoon [1 mL] cayenne

    ]]>     ⅓ cup [80 mL] mushrooms, chopped

    ]]>     ⅓ cup [80 mL] grated yellow brick cheese

    ]]>     4 ounces [110 g] cooked shrimp, very heavily seasoned, peeled, and chopped (see Chef Notes)

    ]]>     2 tablespoons [30 mL] red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and chopped

    ]]>     2 tablespoons [30 mL] breadcrumbs

    ]]>     1½ tablespoons [25 mL] grated Romano cheese

    ]]>     Fennel tops, for garnish

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