Oysters N Bacon Recipes

ROASTED OYSTERS WITH WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat a wood-fired or regular oven to 400 degrees F. Fill a 14-inch cast-iron pan with the rock salt.
• Shuck the oysters, keeping them in their bottom shells, then lay them on the rock salt, using care to save as much of the oyster liquor as possible. Place the entire pan in the oven and cook until the oysters are just set, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the bacon to a medium cast-iron pan, then set over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until the fat has rendered out and the bacon begins to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low. Sweat the onions until they have begun to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the mustard, then slowly add the vinegar, stirring. (You will want to stir and swirl the pan as you add the liquid, to help emulsify the mustard and vinegar into the bacon fat.) Add the watercress and stir the mixture to combine and wilt the cress.
• Remove the oysters from the oven. Evenly divide and top each oyster with the bacon vinaigrette.

BAKED OYSTERS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Make stuffing:
• Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot three-fourths full of water to a boil with kosher salt, then stir in spinach and cook 30 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl filled with ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain spinach and squeeze dry, then finely chop.
• Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well.
• Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté bacon, stirring, until golden and just cooked through (but not crisp), about 3 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add leeks, shallot, and garlic to fat in skillet and cook over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
• Toss together leek mixture, spinach, bacon, bread crumbs, herbs, lemon zest and juice, sea salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and butter in a large bowl with a fork.
• Bake oysters:
• Spread 2 to 3 cups rock salt in each of 2 large shallow baking pans and nestle oysters (in shells) in it. Spoon a heaping tablespoon bread-crumb stuffing loosely on top of each oyster. Bake in batches in upper third of oven until golden, about 6 minutes.
• Serve warm oysters in shells on plates lined with rock salt.

BAKED OYSTERS IN JACKETS WITH BACON COGNAC BUTTER

Steps:

• Prepare butter:
• In a heavy skillet cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and add shallot. Cook mixture, stirring, until shallot is softened. Stir in Cognac and cool mixture to room temperature. In a small bowl stir together bacon mixture, butter, and parsley. Butter may be prepared 3 days ahead formed into a 3-inch-long log, and chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• In a steamer set over 1/2 inch simmering water steam spinach, covered, until just wilted, about 1 minute. Gently rinse spinach under cold water to stop cooking and pat each leaf dry.
• Loosen each oyster from shell with a small knife if necessary and wrap in a spinach leaf. Return oysters to shells and top with butter. In a small roasting pan spread coarse salt 1/4 inch deep and nestle shells in salt to keep them level. Oysters may be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bake oysters in middle of oven until plump and butter is sizzling, about 10 minutes.
• Spread coarse salt 1/4 inch deep on each of 2 plates and nestle oysters in salt.

OYSTERS WITH BACON AND HORSERADISH

Steps:

• Put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp and browned. Remove the bacon from the skillet, leaving the fat in the pan. Drain the bacon on paper towels and reserve.
• Add the onion to the skillet and saute in the bacon fat until tender and golden. Stir in the flour and thyme, then whisk in the wine. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Stir in the horseradish and the bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spread this mixture on top of each oyster. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. The recipe can be prepared in advance up to this point and refrigerated until just before serving.
• Preheat a broiler. Arrange the oysters with their topping on a baking sheet. Put under the broiler and broil until lightly browned and bubbling, three to five minutes. Serve at once.

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.

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.