This ritzy dish was created in 1899 at a famous New Orleans restaurant, Antoine’s, and is now recreated at restaurants everywhere! While it may feel intimidating to prepare oysters at home, they really could not be easier! Most seafood counters will shuck your oysters for you, just ask! Have them put your oysters in a container and don’t forget to save your shells! We went to our local favorite @fjordfishmarket (more to come on all of their oyster shucking and serving tips). These make a glam dinner party first course or a fancy lunch alongside a big simple salad and a glass of crisp white wine.

1 dozen sucked oysters, oysters and shells separated
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 large shallot, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped spinach (about 1 cup whole)
1 Tablespoon of minced parsley
1 Tablespoon of Pernod
2 Tablespoons butter
A few shakes of Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Rock salt, or kosher salt to bake

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add shallots and garlic and sauté for three minutes, or until translucent. Add the spinach and parsley and sauté another two minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add Pernod and let it cook off an additional minute.

Remove mixture from pan. Melt the additional two tablespoons of butter. Add a few shakes of tobacco to the melted butter. Sprinkle in panko breadcrumbs and another pinch of salt, and brown the breadcrumbs 2 to 3 minutes, until golden.

Fill the bottom of your baking dish with about 1/2 inch of kosher salt or rock salt. Place oyster half shells on top of rock salt- this will keep them steady. Drain oyster in a fine mesh sieve. Place one oyster back in each half shell. Top each oyster with about 1/2 Tablespoon of spinach mixture, a teaspoon of panko mixture, and a teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.

Bake oysters 8 minutes, until tops are golden brown.