Smoked (or Baked) Oyster Rockefeller Casserole
Save yourself some $$ and enjoy Oyster Rockefeller at home in a casserole form with a touch of smoke. When you can get double or even triple the value in oysters, this is a great deal. Even better, oysters pairs with smoke beautifully, so this is a great way to redesign this restaurant classic.
For Supper Challenge this week, “nice” followed the “naughty” them from last week, as we anticipate Santa’s arrival. As a big BBQ cook, I suspect I need to be naughty to ensure I can load up on char-COAL. Haha. In any case, since I made deep fried Oyster Boulettes last week, my “nice” dish would compare the two cooking techniques. Smoked (baked), not fried.
Did you know that Oyster Rockefeller was a recipe adaptation in 1899 from a popular snail dish? This classic dish was developed in Antoine’s Restaurant in New Orleans when the dish exuded as much richness as a Rockefeller with the green spinach likened to the greenback.
Smoked Oyster Rockefeller Taste: Spinach and parmesan is nicely balanced, not too “fishy,” oyster flavor really comes through. I would prefer a bit more salt.
Smoked Oyster Rockefeller Texture: Soft – even though the top is crispy, when eating, I found the crispiness of spinach and breadcrumbs dissolved into the moisture of the oyster.
Smoked (or Baked) Oyster Rockefeller Casserole
Equipment
- 9 inch (or smaller) pie dish or heat-proof casserole dish
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup onion celery, green pepper or/and carrot, optional
- 1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 3 tablespoon white wine
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 +2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon table salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 1 pint oysters (I used Fanny Bay oysters purchased in a quart container)
Instructions
- Preheat smoker or oven to 350F (I use 300F for a Gateway Drum Smoker).
- In a 9 inch (or smaller) pie dish or heat-proof casserole dish, spray dish with non-stick spray. Lay oysters to cover the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
- In a frying pan on medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add garlic, onion, celery, green pepper, or/and carrot and cook until softened.
- Add remaining butter to melt and spinach to warm.
- Add white wine to deglaze frying pan. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, add breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, Japanese mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
- Add spinach mixture from frying pan into bowl of breadcrumbs.
- Toss mixture to combine. Add additional salt and pepper as required.
- On top of the oysters in the casserole dish, evenly spread the spinach mixture.
- Sprinkle additional 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese.
- Place oyster casserole dish into smoker or oven. Smoke or bake for 40 minutes.