The winter holidays are a great time for preserving old traditions and starting new ones.Whether your Thanksgiving table is spread with a motley assortment of potluck dishes brought by friends, a gleaming feast catered by the chef of the house, or a homespun affair full of memory and warmth, this stuffing recipe is a classic addition.I like to make it a day ahead (leaving out the oysters) so I can enjoy the smells of sage and almonds and then let the mingle before dressing the turkey.I lightly sautee the oysters just before I put it into the bird.This makes enough to stuff a medium turkey (12-14 lbs.) and still have plenty left over for a side dish on the table.
You will need:
1 lb bread – crusts on, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces.I like to use a combination of black rye and sourdough, but anything will do.Whole wheat can sometimes be a little heavy or become doughy.
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 pt. medium or small raw oysters – rinsed, with the liquor reserved and set aside.
3 or 4 ribs of celery, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms: button, crimini, oyster, shiitake, portabello, and chantrelle are all great; I don’t like to use dried mushrooms, but dried morels are nice if you have them.
1 cup sliced raw almonds, dry-toasted in a skillet and set aside
½ cup chopped dried fruit, such as raisins, cherries, currants, dates, or any combination thereof
4-6 cloves fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup or more of chicken or vegetable stock
Fresh or dried herbs – I use more than a tablespoon of each (except cloves, cayenne, and rosemary – go lightly), but adjust according to your own tastes:
sage
parsley
nutmeg
cloves
thyme
rosemary
salt
pepper
cayenne
1. Spread the bread cubes out on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, sprinkled with some of the herbs, plus a little salt and olive oil.Let them get good and dry, but not burnt.
2.Sautee the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and celery in a large frying pan.Add the dried fruit and almonds, and cook until the fruit is softened.
3. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, vegetable mixture, rice, and herbs. Toss everything together until it’s well mixed, and moisten with broth. Adjust the seasonings according to taste.
4. If you’re going to stuff the bird immediately, add the raw oysters to the mix and moisten with both the broth and the liquor left over from the oysters. If you’re going to wait, leave the oysters until you’re ready to do the stuffing. If the stuffing is only a side dish, spread it out in a casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so, until hot all the way through.
In my family, oyster stew is reserved for holidays: elegant, somehow “fancy” - we usually save it for Christmas Eve. Our traditional version is thin and loaded with oysters; this version is a little thicker and more hearty.
I made this stew last night for a small dinner party, and it was a lovely and relatively simple dish for a cold autumn night.The richness of the broth is full of warmth and comfort, and pairs well with a crisp salad of winter vegetables like cabbage or Brussels sprouts and spiced nuts.We served this with crusty Italian ciabbata bread and an excellent white rioja, but it would stand up to any robust white wine without too much oak.
You will need:
About 1 ½ lbs. shucked fresh oysters, with 1 cup of the liquor set aside.I like to use small to small-medium oysters; too large and they have to be bitten in half, which doesn’t work well for soups
1 ½ sticks butter
a handful of flour
4 ribs celery, thinly chopped
½ bulb garlic (6 to 8 cloves), peeled, smashed, and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, minced
½ cup finely chopped curly parsley
salt, pepper, cayenne
dash of Worcestershire sauce
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1.Pour the liquid out of the oysters and set it aside.Carefully rinse and strain the oysters to remove any bits of shell or grit.
2.Combine the oyster liquor with 1 cup of water in a large soup pot.Heat the liquid to a simmer, and then add the oysters, cooking just long enough for their edges to curl and for them to plump up – about 2 minutes.Strain the oysters from the liquid (put a bowl under a sieve) and set both aside to cool separately.
3.Return the soup pot to the heat and add the butter.Once it melts, toss in a handful of flour and whisk it around until it is completely absorbed.Cook the roux until it is golden brown, then add the chopped vegetables.Sautee in the roux until the celery and onion are very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.Some of the milk can be added to prevent things from sticking.
4.When you are nearly ready to serve, add the milk, cream, oysters, and liquor to the vegetables and stir it all together.Allow the milk to thicken – about 5 minutes.
5.Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and Worcestershire to taste and ladle into soup bowls.Serve immediately.
I found this recipe in the November, 2008 edition of Saveur; I have adapted it somewhat – my version has bolder flavors and less cream.
• 12 large oysters in shell
• 2 tbsp margarine or butter
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp onion, finely minced
• 1 tbsp dried tarragon
• 1/4 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
• 1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
• 1 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
Preparation Instructions
1. Remove lid of oyster shells
2. Place a single layer of oyster shells in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. (Nestle shells in rock salt or on crumpled foil to secure.) Place one oyster in each shell.
3. Squeeze all the moisture out of the spinach
4. Melt margarine or butter with lemon juice, onion, tarragon, lemon pepper, and Tabasco in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Top each oyster with a generous tablespoon of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake at 450 F. until cheese is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
12 large oysters in shell
2 tbls margarine or butter
2 tbls lemon juice
2 tbls onion, finely minced
1 tbls dried tarragon
1/4 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
1 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
2 tbls Parmesan cheese, grated
Preparation Instructions
1. Remove lid of oyster shells
2. Place a single layer of oyster shells in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. (Nestle shells in rock salt or on crumpled foil to secure.) Place one oyster in each shell.
3. Squeeze all the moisture out of the spinach
4. Melt margarine or butter with lemon juice, onion, tarragon, lemon pepper, and Tabasco in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Top each oyster with a generous tablespoon of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake at 450 F. until cheese is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
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