Oysters Rockefeller with Mornay Sauce Recipe

Serves/Makes: 4 – 6

Ingredients:

• 24 fresh oysters
• 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 bunch, approximately 8, scallions, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 tablespoons anchovies
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1/4 cup Pernod
• 5 to 6 drops Tabasco sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mornay Sauce (see the recipe below)

How to cook Oysters Rockefeller with Mornay Sauce:

• Saute vegetables and anchovies in butter for 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Add Pernod, Tabasco sauce and salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Put into blender and puree.
• Prepare oysters in half-shell fashion and place on baking sheet.
• Top each oyster with spinach mixture and bake 5 minutes in 350°F (180°C) oven. Remove from oven and immediately serve on napkin-lined plates.
• Top each oyster with Mornay Sauce if desired.

Mornay Sauce Recipe

Mornay Sauce Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk, warmed
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons grated Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper

How to cook Mornay Sauce:

• Melt butter in a pan until bubbly. Add flour and stir until smooth.
• Add warmed milk slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumping. Add wine and continue to stir over medium heat.
• In small amounts, add cheeses to mixture and whip until the mixture is again smooth.
• Add seasonings and simmer 3 to 5 minutes. If necessary, adjust consistency of the sauce with additional white wine.

Notes:
It is important to serve hot oysters immediately after they come out of the oven. Because of their shells, they cool very quickly. The shells suck out the oysters’ heat – that’s why you often see them served on hot rock salt.

Comments:
Oysters Rockefeller is a famous oyster dish served at many restaurants throughout the United States. The dish consists of oysters on the half-shell that have been topped with various other ingredients (often spinach or parsley, cheese, a rich butter sauce and bread crumbs) and are then baked or broiled.

This recipe for Oysters Rockefeller with Mornay Sauce serves/makes: 4 – 6

Main Ingredient: Oysters 
Preparation Method: Baked
Cuisine: American