Oysters Bienville

I first had this meal in Savannah, Georgia, my home state, in 2014 when I was traveling through. It was an unforgettable night of exploring, eating, & running from the cops. This dish, while it looks complicated, is actually rather easy if you have your mis en place ready. AND if you have the correct tools. You’ll definitely need an Oyster Shucker knife and be very careful when using it. You don’t want to cut yourself or lose the precious Oyster liquor. You also don’t want to create tons of Oyster shell flakes you’ll crunch on later. Lastly, you may have a good amount of the Sauce and Breadcrumb Topping left over… put it on Baguette slices, bake, and thank me later.

This recipe is highly influenced by Garden & Gun’s version in their amazing The Southerner's Cookbook: Recipes, Wisdom, and Stories.

• Sauce:

  • 1 Tbs Olive Oil

  • 1 Garlic Clove minced

  • 1/2 Jalapeño minced

  • 1/8 Cup Red Bell Pepper minced

  • 1/8 Cup Celery minced

  • 1 Shallot minced

  • 1 Tbs White Wine

  • 1 Tbs Butter

  • 1 1/2 Tbs Flour

  • 1/4 Cup Oyster Liquor (the Juice that comes from an opened Oyster)

  • 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

  • 1/2 Tsp Angostura Bitters

  • 1 Tbs Fresh Thyme chopped

  • 1 Tbs Chives diced

  • 1 Tbs Parsley chopped

  • Dash Liquid Smoke

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • 1 Cup Lobster or Seafood Bouillon

  Breadcrumb Topping:

  • 1/6 Cup Cooked Bacon chopped

  • 1/3 Cup Parmesan grated finely

  • 1/3 Cup Breadcrumbs

  • 2 Shrimps cooked and minced prior

  • 1 1/2 Tbs Butter melted

  • Extra Parmesan

  Oysters:

  • 6 Oysters: Opened, put Oysters on bottom shell with liquor reserved separately

  • Rock Salt

  • Lemon Wedge for squirtin’

1. First thing is to cook the Shrimp in a skillet and then cut the cooked Shrimp up into tiny pieces and place them in a bowl where the other Breadcrumb Toppings will go.

2. While cooking the Shrimp, do the same thing with the Bacon. Bake it, and then mince it and throw it into that big bowl.

3. Now heat up the Shrimp skillet to medium and toss in the Jalapeño, Red Bell, Celery, & Shallot and cook for 5 minutes or so. At the very end, throw in the Garlic and stir and cook for a minute more.

4. White Wine time! Pour that little bit in and let it cook for less than a minute or so.

5. Then add the Butter, letting it melt, before slowly adding the Flour. Stir all this and coat all the goodies in the skillet.

6. In that same skillet now add the Oyster Liquor & the Heavy Cream and whisk it all until it’s smooth.

7. Once smooth, bring it up to a boil and whisk and stir until it’s thick.

8. Now add the Lobster Bouillon, very little of it, and only if it’s really needed. Don’t make the liquid too thin.

9. Reduce the heat at this point to low and let the whole thing simmer while you stir for a couple minutes.

10. Now remove the entire skillet and add the Bitter, Fresh Thyme, Chives, Parsley, & Liquid Smoke dashes.

11. Preheat the oven to 475°.

12. It’s now Breadcrumb Topping time. Add the melted Butter to the big bowl with the cooked and crumbled Bacon & Shrimp. Also add the Breadcrumbs and the Parmesan Cheese and stir it all together well and evenly.

13. You’ll now need to get an oven safe dish or cooking pan and fill it halfway with Rock Salt as a little bed for the Oysters (don’t put ‘em in yet) and place the Rock Salt dish in the oven to preheat it for 10 minutes.

14. While it’s preheating, top each Oyster shell with 1 Tbs or more of the Sauce and then sprinkle generously with the delicious Breadcrumb Topping. Top that beautiful Oyster with the grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of some spice for an extra kick.

15. Take out that preheated pan now, nestle the prepared Oysters into the Rock Salt and then carefully place them into the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until it’s golden brown and bubbling.

16. Once finished prepare for an amazingly delicious Oyster meal you didn’t know you could make at home.