Oysters Bienville

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup butter (no substitutions)
• 1/2 cup onion, minced
• 1 cup green onion, minced
• 1 cup celery, minced
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 cup small shrimp, cleaned and peeled
• 1 teaspoon thyme, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon parsley, minced
• 2 -3 drops angostura bitters
• 2 -3 drops tabasco sauce
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup wine (chardonnay or pino grigio are wonderful, but whatever you have on hand will do)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 dozen oysters (uncooked, on the half shell)
• rock salt

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 400°f.
• 2 make the roux by mixing the flour and butter together; cook slowly and stir constantly, taking care not to scorch until mixture is peanut butter colored.
• 3 melt the 1/4 cup butter in a saute pan; add onion, green onion, celery and mushrooms.
• 4 cook until onion becomes transparent, but not brown.
• 5 add the garlic and shrimp.
• 6 simmer for ten minutes; add seasonings, wine, lemon juice and cream.
• 7 add the roux a bit at a time until the sauce thickens.
• 8 stir in the bread crumbs; set aside.
• 9 place rock salt in a large baking pan (or several smaller ones; nestle the oysters in the shell securely into the rock salt.
• 10 cover each oyster with the sauce and bake for ten minutes, or until the oysters heat through and the sauce browns slightly.
• 11 serve while hot.