Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients:
1 pound butter
1 rib celery, finely chopped
2 bunches green onions, finely chopped, about 2 cups
1 bunch parsley, fine chopped
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup Pernod, Anisette, or Herbsaint
1 1/4 cups seasoned bread crumbs
4 dozen oysters in their shells
rock salt

Preparation:
Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the celery, scallions and parsley.

Saute for 5 minutes, then add the Worcestershire and Tabasco.

Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the Herbsaint or Pernod and bread crumbs; cook for 5 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, until cold but not firmly set.

Shuck oysters.

Discard the top shells; scrub and dry the bottom shells.

Drain the oysters.

Arrange several oyster shells in baking pans lined with about 1 inch of rock salt.

Arrange several pans in advance, if desired. Place 1 oyster in each shell.

Heat oven to 375°.

Remove the chilled Rockefeller topping from the refrigerator and beat it with an
electric mixer to evenly distribute the butter and infuse air into the mixture;
transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip.

Pipe a tablespoon of the mixture onto each oyster, then bake in a 375° oven for 5 to 8 minutes.

Allow about 6 oysters for each guest.

If possible, bake these in batches of 6 in oven-safe pans, so each person can be served a pan of hot Oysters Rockefeller right out of the oven.


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