Oysters Rockefeller With Creamy Spinach & Bacon

The Oysters Rockefeller With Creamy Spinach & Bacon recipe is a tasty spin on the traditional Oyster Rockefeller dish, with interesting ingredients that are sure to delight your palette. Let’s get started.

Ingredients Overview

In this Oysters Rockefeller recipe, we’re combining a mix of both familiar and unique ingredients. The focus of our dish is fresh oysters, with an amazing taste of the ocean in each bite. To amp up the flavors, we’re using bacon, which adds a wonderfully smoky and salty touch.

Alongside the bacon, we’re tossing in some fresh spinach. Spinach might be something you’re used to having in salads, but in this dish, it provides a great balance to the richness of the oysters and bacon. It brings a bit of earthiness and color to our dish, and when cooked down, it blends well with all the other flavors.

For a touch of the unexpected, we’re adding Pernod, a liquor that has a distinct licorice flavor. This may sound strange at first, but trust me – it beautifully complements the saltiness of the oysters and the creaminess of the sauce.

On top of these, we have a handful of other ingredients: heavy cream for that luscious texture, Parmesan cheese for a slight nuttiness, and bread crumbs for a crispy topping. Finally, we have the essential seasonings – garlic, shallots, butter, salt, and pepper – that will make our Oysters Rockefeller burst with flavor.

Ingredient List

• 24 fresh oysters
• 4 slices of thick-cut bacon
• 2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Pernod (or any anise-flavored liqueur)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. Shuck the oysters, leaving them on the half shell, and reserve any liquor (juice) that’s inside.
3. Place a skillet over medium heat, add the bacon slices, and cook until they are crispy. Remove the bacon, crumble it, and set aside. Keep the bacon grease in the skillet.
4. In the same skillet, add the shallots and garlic to the bacon grease and sauté until they are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and sauté until it is wilted.
6. Stir in the heavy cream, and season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
7. Deglaze the skillet with Pernod, scraping any bits off the bottom of the skillet. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates.
8. Add the crumbled bacon back into the skillet and mix everything well. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
9. Arrange the oysters in a baking dish. Spoon the spinach and bacon mixture over each oyster, dividing it evenly.
10. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle this over the spinach-covered oysters. Dot each oyster with a little butter.
11. Bake the oysters in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the topping is golden and bubbly.
12. Serve the oysters hot, with lemon wedges and hot sauce on the side.

Notes

Substitute for Pernod

The best substitutes for Pernod are Pastis, Absinthe, and White Wine. Anisette and Ouzo are also good Pernod alternatives.