Created by Jules Alciatore at the famed New Orleans restaurant Antoine’s, Oysters Rockefeller dates back to 1899. The original recipe remains a mystery (a spinach-watercress debate still persists), but a true Rockefeller riff is bold and vibrant with freshly blended herbaceous ingredients and a splash of anise-flavored liqueur. The name? Inspired by the buttery richness of Alciatore’s dish.
How to Make It
Step 1
Put a ½-inch layer of the rock salt in 2 large jelly-roll pans.
Step 2
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp; drain, reserving drippings in skillet.
Step 3
Add the butter and the flour to hot drippings; cook, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add the spinach and the next 5 ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat. Stir in the absinthe and bacon, and add table salt to taste
Step 4
Preheat the broiler with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Arrange 18 oysters on salt in prepared pans; top with the spinach mixture. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or until lightly browned.
Recipe Revival: Southern Classics Reinvented for Modern Cooks (2016; Time Inc. Books)
