Photo by Jennifer Hitchcock

Developed in Louisiana at the famed New Orleans eatery Antoine’s in 1899, a orkrecise recipe has never been recorded, but Southern chefs sure have fun blending herbs, butter, breadcrumbs, and cheese to find their most flavorful personal rendition.

recipe heading-plus-icon

yields

25 Oysters

    ingredients
    Horsey Béchamel and Spinach
  • 1 shallot and garlic bulb, each brunoised*
  • ¼ cup prepared horseradish (may need more)
  • ¼ pound butter
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 dash crushed red pepper
  • Clarified butter
  • 10-ounce bag spinach
  • *Chef’s Note: To brunoise vegetables, finely dice, then cook slowly in butter until tender. This process enhances flavor.
  • Breadcrumb Topping
  • 1 cup bacon ends, brunoised
  • ½ cup celery, brunoised
  • ½ cup red and yellow pepper
  • ½ cup shallot or Vidalia onion, brunoised
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 pound butter
  • 1 pound panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ pound white cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 green onion
  • 2 ounces Worcestershire sauce
steps
  1. To make blonde roux, sweat shallot, garlic, and prepared horseradish in ⅓ of the butter. Once sweating is complete, add remainder of butter. Once melted, add flour.
  2. After roux has cooked for a few minutes, add milk slowly, stirring constantly until all milk is incorporated. Stir occasionally during cooking to prevent sticking. Once béchamel is at proper consistency, season to taste and set aside.
  3. Sweat sliced garlic and red pepper in clarified butter. Add spinach. Season, drain, and add to roux.
  4. For breadcrumb topping, render bacon until almost crispy. Add celery, onion, pepper, garlic, ½ pound of butter, and sweat. Add remainder of butter and let brown. Then add panko, stirring gently over medium heat to lightly toast.
  5. Once toasted add cheddar until combined. Finish with green onion, and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spoon creamed spinach mixture on top of each oyster and spoon breadcrumb mixture on top of spinach. Bake until golden brown.
  • from Chef Tyler Brown of The Capitol Grille at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee

Leave a Reply

Be the first to comment.