Oysters Gregory
Serves 2 (4 oysters each)
Ingredients
For the Salt Paste
- ½ cup kosher salt
- 1½ tbsp water
For the Oysters
- 1 large leek, halved lengthwise & washed
- 2 tbsp minced bacon
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 8 medium oysters, shucked, meat removed & chilled (shells cleaned & reserved)
How-to
- Shuck oysters, remove meat and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. Clean and reserve the shells
- Combine water and kosher salt to make salt paste. Set aside
- Preheat grill or broiler to high. Char leek halves, split-side-down for 3-4 minutes. Remove leeks to a cutting board when cool enough to handle and slice thinly
- Place leeks to a small saucepan. Add heavy cream and simmer over medium-low heat, 20-25 minutes, until sauce is very thick
- Meanwhile, cook minced bacon in a small sauté pan over medium heat until very crisp, about 10 minutes
- Remove from heat and to the pan with the bacon add garlic, lemon zest, smoked paprika and breadcrumbs. Mix to combine ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 400º
- In a baking dish, place 8 mounds of salt paste (to stabilize the oyster shells while baking; 4 oysters are demonstrated in the video but the recipe makes enough sauce and breadcrumb mixture for 8 oysters)
- Place one reserved oyster shell on each mound of salt paste. Remove cream mixture from heat and spoon about 1 tbsp into each shell
- Place oyster meat on top and pack breadcrumb mixture on each oyster
- Bake for 7 minutes (or broil on high 2-3 minutes). Transfer to a serving platter atop mounds of salt paste and serve