Roasted Oysters With Warm Bacon Vinaigrette Food

OYSTER AND BACON STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Spread out the bread on 2 baking sheets; bake until dried out, about 1 hour, rotating the baking sheets as needed.
• Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of the drippings, leaving about 1/2 cup in the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 1 1/2 cups stock. Add the marjoram and set aside.
• Whisk the remaining 1 1/2 cups stock and the eggs in a large bowl. Add the scallions, parsley, Old Bay, oysters with their liquor and the vegetable-bacon mixture. Add the bread and mix until most of the liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the mixture to a 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with the parmesan and bake until browned on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

ROASTED OYSTERS WITH COUNTRY BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a towel, grasp an oyster in the palm of your hand. Press the oyster, rounded side down, on a firm surface, still holding it with the towel. Shuck the oyster by wedging the tip of an oyster knife (regular knives are too thinbladed) between the halves of the shell, at the shell's narrowest end. When the knife tip is securely wedged, rotate the blade to pry open the shell. Slide the knife blade along the length of the shell to open completely. Remove the oyster from the shell and reserve, along with its juice. From each pair of oyster shells, save the one that is most concave on the inside, and discard the one that is flatter. Place the concave shells in a pan of cold water and scrub inside and out. Place the clean oyster shells on a cookie sheet and set aside.
• Dip the tomatoes briefly in boiling water to loosen the skins, then in ice water. Peel, cut in half, remove and discard the seeds and dice.
• Lay out the phyllo dough one sheet at a time on a clean work surface. Brush the sheet lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, crumble the sheet like a piece of newspaper and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
• Have the sauce ingredients measured and ready beside the stove. When you are ready to begin cooking the oysters, place the cookie sheet containing the oyster shells in a 350 degree oven. On the top of the stove, melt the butter in a hot saute pan until it begins to foam. Add the shallots, the oysters and their juice, and the white wine. Cook the oysters for 30 seconds, then add the heavy cream. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce to a simmer for just a minute more, or until the oysters' edges begin to curl. Add the tomato, tarragon, and bacon. Heat for another 30 seconds, then remove promptly from the heat.
• Remove the oyster shells from the oven and arrange six on each plate. Spoon an oyster into each shell and spoon a little of the sauce over each. Top each dish with top hat of crispy phyllo.

OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH LEMON SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Open oysters with a shucking knife. Separate the tendons at the top and bottom of the shell. Retain all liquids in the shell.
• Whisk remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Spoon 1 teaspoon of vinaigrette over each oyster. Serve immediately.
• Recommended beverage: Sancerre (white)

FRIED OYSTERS WITH BACON, GARLIC, AND SAGE

Steps:

• Whisk rice flour, salt, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Toss oysters in flour mixture to coat well, then top with a thin layer of dredge (make sure that none of the oysters are peeking out). Cover with plastic wrap and chill in dredge until ready to fry.
• Cook bacon in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until bacon is browned and crisp, 12-15 minutes. Transfer bacon to a small bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Pour half of bacon fat into a small heatproof bowl or measuring cup and set aside. Add 1/2 cup butter to drippings in skillet and heat over medium-high. As soon as butter is foaming, remove half of oysters from dredge and shake off any excess. Add to skillet along with 3 garlic cloves and cook, gently shaking skillet to baste oysters with fat and turning oysters occasionally, until golden brown and crisp all over, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer oysters and garlic to paper towels and let drain.
• Pour off fat in skillet; discard. Wipe out skillet and return to medium-high. Heat remaining 1/2 cup butter and reserved bacon fat in skillet. As soon as butter is foaming, repeat process with remaining oysters and garlic. Transfer to paper towels and let drain.
• Cook sage in same skillet just until crisp, about 30 seconds. Transfer to paper towels.
• Arrange oysters and garlic on a platter and top with fried sage and bacon. Serve with mustard.
• Do Ahead
• Oysters can be dredged 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp; remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 T drippings in skillet.
• Cook shallots and garlic in hot drippings for 3 minutes, or until tender. Add brown sugar and cook stirring constantly for one minute or until sugar is dissolved.
• Process garlic mixture, orange juice, and remaining ingredients in blender until combined.
• FYI the cooked bacon is not actually used in this recipe, but you can top your salad with it if desired.

OYSTERS 'N' BACON

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until shrunken, but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the sugar, soy sauce and garlic with a fork. Wrap each oyster with a piece of bacon, and secure with toothpicks. Place wrapped oysters into the dish with the sauce.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the sauce has thickened and bacon is nicely crisped at the edges.