If it wasn’t for my mom and her love of culinary experimentation and making meals from scratch, I probably wouldn’t be the cooking fanatic I am today. And yesterday, I figured the perfect way to honor her on her birthday was to take over her kitchen and make all of her favorite things for her and her friends.
We started with the appetizer of champions: oysters. Whether or not they’re really an aphrodisiac is debatable, but oysters ARE low in fat, high in protein, and higher in zinc than any other food. This is especially great considering these baked oysters are covered in butter BUT IT WAS A SPECIAL OCCASION SO I REGRET NOTHING! Lol. I love justifying fatty cow dinner decisions.
I used herb stuffing mix because not only were they already in the cabinet, but they also come pre-seasoned and toasted, which cuts out a significant amount of time and extra groceries.
A bonus: instead of tossing the shells in the trash, crush them up and add them to your compost pile. Oyster shells are rich in calcium, so let your dirt take care of soaking up all that goodness and enjoy stronger, healthier plants.
This recipe makes 36 oysters.
INGREDIENTS
3 dozen oysters on the half shell
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp. finely minced garlic
2 1/2 tbsp. minced shallot (about 1 small shallot)
1 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. herb stuffing mix
chopped parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
- In a bowl, combine everything but the oysters. This is way quicker if you have a stand mixer, but if you’re doing it by hand, just make sure the butter is soft and pliable. Cover each oyster with small scoops of the bread mixture. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and crispy. Top with chopped parsley and serve warm.
