Taste of Home
- 3 dozen fresh oysters, in the shell, scrubbed
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup butter, cubed
- 9 oz package of fresh spinach, torn
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 2 pounds kosher salt
Shuck oysters, reserving bottom shell [Ed. Note: Some fishmongers will provide shucked oysters and bottom shells]; set aside. In a large skillet, sauté onion in butter until tender. Add spinach; cook and stir until wilted. Remove from the heat; stir in the cheese, lemon juice and pepper.
Spread kosher salt into two ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Lightly press the oyster shells down into the salt. Place one oyster in each shell; top each with 2½ teaspoons spinach mixture. [Ed. Note: Some suggest using a muffin tin instead of salt, but presentation suffers.]
Bake, uncovered, at 450° for 6-8 minutes or until oysters are plump. Serve immediately.
Originally published as Oysters Rockefeller in Country Woman October/November 2007