Oyster Rockefeller Recipe

The original Oyster Rockefeller recipe was a dish of oysters with a sauce, made up of eighteen ingredients, including absinthe! Here you will find a much simpler recipe, but equally as delicious!

In 1899 when Jules Alciatore took over Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans, he was known as a pioneer in the art of cooking oysters (as they were rarely cooked before this time). According to legend, it is said that a customer exclaimed with delight after eating this dish, "Why, this is as rich as Rockefeller!"

The dish was given the name Rockefeller because the green was the color of greenbacks and the whole dish was so rich that he wanted a name that would signify the "richest in the world." The first name to come to his mind was John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), a name once considered the absolute pinnacle of wealth and position. No other American dish has received so much praise and attention as Oysters Rockefeller.

The original Oyster Rockefeller recipe is a closely-guarded secret of Antoine's, though it has been imitated, adapted, and evolved in a host of ways. Jules Alciatore made a promise on his deathbed that the exact proportions be kept a secret....forever!

Oyster Rockefeller

INGREDIENTS
SERVES 2 as a first course or 6 for appetizers

12 oysters
2oz (50g) unsalted butter
1 small stick of celery, finely sliced
2 spring onions finely sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Handful of watercress leaves, finely chopped
Dash of Pernod or other anise-flavored liquor
Salt and Tabasco sauce, to taste
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
Rock salt for cooking
Lemon wedges & parsley sprigs to serve

METHOD

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the celery, spring onions, garlic, parsley, watercress and Pernod. Season to taste with salt and Tabasco sauce.
Cook, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Tip the mix into a food processor or blender, add the bread and process for 30 seconds to produce "green breadcrumbs".

This mix can now be put into a bowl, covered and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.

Using an oyster knife, twist open the oyster shells and remove the oysters and liquor into a bowl. Discard the top shells and scrub and dry the bottom shells. Drain the oysters and check for shell fragments.
Preheat the broiler (grill) to maximum.
Line a baking tray with rock salt and place the oyster shells on it.
Place an oyster in each shell and spoon over a little of the reserved oyster liquor.
Spoon the crumb mixture over each oyster to cover them completely.
Finally, broil (grill) the oysters for about 1 to 2 minutes or until the topping is bubbling and nicely colored.

TO SERVE

Arrange the oysters on a serving dish and garnish with sprigs of parsley and lemon wedges.

Enjoy!

This Oyster Rockefeller recipe makes a perfect first course for a romantic dinner for two. Regardless of the aphrodisiac effect (or not!), it's a pleasure on the eye and tastes absolutely delicious!

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