Oysters Bienville are baked oysters, smothered in a delicious sauce of bacon, shrimp, and mushrooms, topped with bread crumbs and fresh herbs. If you can’t quite do raw oysters, try this dish—I love to serve it as an appetizer. Plan on about 2 oysters per person. To save time, you may buy shucked oysters. Place 2 oysters each in a small buttered ramekin and omit the rock salt.
Prep Time::20 mins
Cook Time::35 mins
Total Time::55 mins
Servings::6
Ingredients
1 cup rock salt, or as needed
2 strips bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
3 to 4 medium raw shrimp – peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
1 dozen freshly shucked oysters with their liquor, reserving shells
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
fresh parsley sprigs (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), and sprinkle a good layer of rock salt over a sheet pan.
Cook bacon in a small, non-stick skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon from the skillet to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter, and cook mushrooms in butter and rendered bacon fat until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add shrimp and continue cooking until shrimp is opaque and firm, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove mushrooms and shrimp from the skillet, and keep warm.
Drain oysters, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquor (see note). Nestle 12 oyster half shells into rock salt on the prepared pan, and place an oyster in each half shell.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Sauté white parts of green onions, for about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Slowly add in flour and stir to make a smooth mixture. Remove from heat.
Break egg yolk in a small bowl, and stir in parsley and cream. Stir yolk mixture into green onion and flour mixture until well blended. Add oyster liquor; return the skillet to the burner over low heat, and cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce is thick and creamy.
Add mushroom and shrimp mixture, Parmesan cheese, and salt to the sauce. Stir until cheese is melted and well blended.
Spoon sauce over oysters. Sprinkle with reserved cooked bacon pieces and seasoned bread crumbs.
Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.
Garnish with reserved chopped green onion tops and fresh parsley sprigs. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Cook’s Note
If there is not enough oyster liquor to make 1/2 cup, add enough chicken stock or seafood stock to make the correct quantity.