When I was a kid, me and my family would hop into Daddy’s boat and go snorkeling for fresh oysters down in Panama City, Florida. This was pre-BP oil spill, so there were spots all over that were just bursting with fresh oysters and scallops. We’d come back with buckets-full and my Momma would serve ’em on the half-shell, or fried with hot sauce dip, or, Rockefellar’ed. Here’s her recipe for her dee-lish-us Oysters Gratin! Enjoy!
Momma's Fresh Oysters Gratin
Recipe by: Bobbi Jo Lathan
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Southern
PREP TIME
30 mins
COOK TIME
10 mins
TOTAL TIME
40 mins
INGREDIENTS
Sausage Mixture:
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup of ground pork sausage
⅓ cup onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon oregano
Oyster Mixture:
24 Large fresh oysters (shucked)
4 teaspoons butter (softened)
2 fresh shallots (finely chopped)
3 cups fresh spinach leaves (cleaned and chopped in half)
¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons of oyster liquor
Topping:
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
½ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
2 teaspoons unsalted butter (melted)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 400°.
Go to youtube and type in “How to shuck a fresh oyster” or let your fishmonger shuck them for you and keep the shells and rinse/clean them for assembly, later.
You’ll want to get yourself a lipped cookie sheet or pan and cover the bottom of the pan with coarse salt (which will support the stuffed oyster shell and keep them from moving while cooking) and place the cleaned oyster shells on top of the salt (cup side up) for assembly later.
Sausage Mixture
Get yourself a skillet and eat your olive oil in the skillet over a medium heat.
Toss the pork sausage into the skillet and brown for about 4 minutes, keeping the meat separated into small pieces.
Once browned, add the onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano.
Cook the pork mixture, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes until the spices are all mixed together and the onions are translucent.
Then, take it off the burner and set it aside.
Oyster-Spinach Mixture
Now, get yourself a medium-sized bowl and a sieve. Place your freshly shucked oysters into the sieve and let the oyster liquor/juices drain into the bowl.
Place another skillet on the burner and heat up about 2 teaspoons of the butter over a medium heat.
Add the shallots and cook until softened.
Then, add the freshly chopped spinach and parsley and cook until your spinach is wilted.
Now, add the sausage mixture and cook that until blended.
Once blended and all mixed together, add the brandy and let it ignite on the stove. (Isn’t this FUN!)
Combine Mixtures
Add them beautiful, fresh oysters to the sausage mixture and cook for only about one minute more. Add the oyster liquor and the rest of the butter and bring it to a boil, stirring ‘til mixed well. Don’t overcook. Take that skillet off the stove.
Topping
In a small pot melt the butter for the topping.
Next, get yourself a bowl and pour the melted butter into a bowl and mix the panko bread crumbs, paprika and Parmesan cheese and set aside.
Assembly
Divide the sausage-oyster-spinach mixture evenly among the shells on your cookie sheet or pan, making sure each shell gets a whole oyster.
Now, top each oyster on the half shell with the cheese-bread crumb mixture.
Place in your oven about 3-4 minutes until browned.
Serve immediately ! YUM! I LUV my fresh oysters any way I can git ‘em!