Roasted Oysters with Bacon and Parmigiano-Reggiano

A couple years ago, Vince and I took a day trip up to Skagit County, Washington to see the tulips. We stopped in La Connor for lunch. The special of the day was Roasted Oysters. The menu described the dish as roasted oysters with a bacon cream sauce and seasoned bread crumbs. I asked the chef if he could accommodate my gluten sensitivity by leaving off the bread crumbs and he obliged. Yippee! What arrived was a creamy, decadent dish - briny, meaty oysters topped with a garlicky cream sauce and smokey bacon crumbles. We ate lunch on the sunny patio overlooking the river, watching eagles fight over a fish. A nice glass of Chardonnay, and I was in heaven.

I was so delighted by the oysters that I stopped on the way home and bought some fresh ones to recreate the dish. It is simply marvelous, if I do say so myself!

Try it as an appetizer or luncheon entree with a green salad.

Roasted Oysters with Bacon and Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan Cheese)

1 dozen large oysters, in the shell (I used Samish Bay)

1 cup heavy cream

1 to 2 cloves garlic

4 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (go for the good stuff here, not the old green can)

Fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Peel and slightly crush the garlic.  Add the garlic and heavy cream to a small sauce pan.  Heat to a simmer and reduce by half (approximately 10 minutes).  Remove from heat.

Scrub the oysters with a wire brush until clean. Shuck the cleaned oyster and place them on a baking sheet.  (Note: Shake a layer of rock salt onto the baking sheet before placing your oysters.  This will help them to stay upright and level while roasting.)  Sprinkle with bacon crumbles.  Spoon 1 ½ teaspoons of Parmegiano Reggiano onto each oyster.  Then spoon on heavy cream dividing it equally among the oysters.  

Roast the oysters until they are hot and the cream has begun to bubble and brown, approximately 10 minutes.

The World is Your Oyster! Let's Make Stew

Also available on SheSpeaks

As this winter drags on, I don't know about you but I could use a little comfort. I take mine in the form of a soul-warming soup. There's nothing like a full belly to fortify me against another grey day. One of my favorites is Oyster Stew. It's quick, easy, and guaranteed to ward off a chill.

Oyster Stew

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 pints small to medium shucked oysters
8 strips of bacon
4 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 pint heavy cream
4 c milk
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
pinch of thyme
sliced green onions (optional)

Directions:
Heat a pot of salted water. Blanch oysters for 2 – 3 minutes. Drain and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Using kitchen shears, snip bacon into small pieces. Cook bacon slowly in a large pot over medium low heat. When the bacon starts to crisp, add butter and melt. Increase heat to medium and add diced onion. Sauté until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add oysters, heavy cream, milk, salt, pepper, basil and thyme. Stir until warm (do not boil). Garnish with green onions.

What is your favorite cold weather soup or stew?