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Marie Laveau was the voodoo queen of Bourbon Street. Legend has
it that the pirate Jean Lafitte often met Marie at the Old Absinthe
House late in the evening where they enjoyed oysters on the half
shell while trading secrets of Barataria Bay.
Ingredients for Oysters:
- 3 dozen select oysters, reserve liquid
- 3 tbsps butter
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp chopped parsley
- ½ ounce Pernod or Herbsaint
Method:
In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high
heat. Stir in garlic and parsley and sauté 2 minutes. Add
oysters and cook until edges begin to curl, but do not overcook.
Deglaze with Pernod and cook 1 minute. Remove oysters, reduce liquid
to half volume and reserve for sauce.
Ingredients for Sauce:
- ¼ pound butter
- ½ cup diced onions
- ¼ cup diced celery
- 2 tbsps minced garlic
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ½ cup white crabmeat
OR ½ cup chopped cooked shrimp
- 2½ tbsps flour
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ounce dry white wine
- reserved cooked liquid from oysters
- reserved oyster liquid
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- ¼ cup diced red bell peppers
- ¼ cup diced yellow bell peppers
- salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese for topping
Method:
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan,
melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, garlic and
green onions and sauté 3 minutes. Stirring constantly, add
crabmeat or shrimp and sauté 1 minute. Whisk in flour until
a white roux is achieved then whisk in cream and wine. Bring to
a low boil, stirring constantly as mixture thickens. Pour in cooked
liquid from oysters and reserved oyster liquid. Reduce heat to simmer
and cook 10–15 minutes, adding hot water if sauce becomes
too thick. Add nutmeg and bell peppers then season with salt and
pepper. Place 6 oysters in each au gratin dish, top with a generous
serving of sauce and bake until bubbly. If desired, sprinkle Parmesan
cheese on top prior to baking. Serve with garlic croutons.
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