Northern California Oyster Stuffing Recipes

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Trim the crust off the bread. Slice the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the bread on a baking sheet and toast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until dry, being careful not to develop any color. Set aside.
• Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Brush a 2-quart casserole or gratin dish with the melted butter and set aside.
• In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and melt. Add the spinach and cook over high heat until wilted. Drain the spinach and set aside.
• To the same saute pan, over medium heat, add the remaining 7 ounces butter. Add the onion and the garlic and saute until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute another 5 minutes. Add the oysters, oyster juice, sausage, spinach, dried fruits, and salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes and stir until the mixture is well blended. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the cream and milk. Stir until well blended. Add the parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Add the reserved oyster mixture and the toasted bread and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes or until done.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Divide bread cubes between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until dry but not colored, about 15 minutes. Transfer bread to very large bowl. Add spinach to bread.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add minced shallots, chopped celery and garlic and sauté until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir vegetables into bread mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add oysters and sauté 2 minutes. Mix oysters and 2 tablespoons tarragon into stuffing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
• To bake stuffing in turkey:
• Mix 1/3 cup chicken broth into stuffing. Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until top is crisp, about 20 minutes.
• To bake all stuffing in pan:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/2 cups chicken broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil and bake until stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until top is crisp, about 20 minutes.

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Put the oysters in a strainer over a medium bowl to catch their liquor. Reserve 3/4 cup of the oyster liquor. In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread and oysters.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the bacon and cook for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the bacon, shallot, celery, salt, and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, reserved oyster liquor, and vermouth and bring to a boil. Transfer the shallot-herb mixture to the cornbread and oysters and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Transfer the cornbread mixture to a buttered 1-quart gratin dish, dot with the remaining butter, and bake until browned and crusty, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
• Butter a 3 1/4 x 5 3/4 x 2-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and combine with the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and mix lightly with a rubber spatula until a thick batter is formed. Stir in the melted butter until just incorporated.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Yield: 1 small loaf of cornbread

HERBED OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Spread bread cubes in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden, 25 to 30 minutes total. Cool bread in pans on racks, then transfer to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet.
• If bacon renders less than 1/4 cup fat, add enough oil to skillet to total 1/4 cup fat. Cook onions, celery, thyme, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper in fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread cubes, then stir in bacon, parsley, butter, and oysters. Drizzle with stock, then season with salt and pepper and toss well.
• Transfer stuffing to a buttered 3- to 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9- by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Add the cornbread, parsley and rosemary to a large mixing bowl. Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, green onions and bell pepper to the skillet and saute until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and melt. Add the cooked vegetables and melted butter into the bowl with the cornbread and stir to combine. Pour the milk, oysters and reserved oyster juice over the cornbread, then season with the garlic powder, 2 teaspoons salt and some pepper. Pour in the chicken stock and eggs and stir until well combined and cohesive. Spread into the prepared baking dish.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top begins to brown, about 30 minutes more.

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter, and set aside.
• Sprinkle a layer of crushed soda crackers on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of oysters, along with their juices, on top of the crackers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with a few pats of butter. Repeat, beginning with another layer of crackers. Top with a final layer of soda crackers and then pour the cream over everything. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and paprika. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

COLONIAL OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F Spread the bread cubes in a baking pan, in a single layer.
• Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until the bread is dry and slightly colored. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large mixing bowl (this can be done ahead, just cool the bread and place in an airtight container until ready to use).
• In a large skillet, saute the onions and celery in the oil over medium low heat until the onions are soft, 10 - 15 minutes.
• Add the garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, sage and oregano, and sautee for 5 more minutes.
• Add the wine, and cook until it is mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the bowl with the bread cubes and mix well to combine.
• Add the oysters, cream, and parsley to the bread mixture, and mix to combine.
• Add enough of the chicken stock to the bread to moisten it, but not so much that it gets soggy (this depends on how dry your bread and vegetables were, so an exact amount is impossible to give).
• Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish and cover with foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes , then uncover and bake for about 10 more, until the top is crisp and golden brown.
• Serve while still hot.

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute celery and onion in butter until tender; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the parsley, poultry seasoning, sage and pepper. Add bread cubes. Combine the egg, broth and oysters; add to bread mixture, stirring gently to combine. , Transfer to a greased 1-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 160° and stuffing is lightly browned.