Love On The Half Shell

Styled by MARÉ BRENNAN
Photograph by KELLY MOORE CLARK

Indulge in the romance of Valentine’s Day with smoky, buttery oven-grilled oysters kissed with garlic, herbs, and a hint of lemon for a perfectly decadent bite. 

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 dozen oysters on the half shell

1 stick of unsalted butter

1/2 TBSP Parsley, chopped finely

4-6 cloves of garlic, minced 

1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp Hot sauce

Black pepper to taste

Topping: 

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

1/4 cup Bread crumbs, optional

Lemon

Rock salt

Preheat a gas broiler. The internal temperature should be 450ºF or higher.

Fill an oven safe pan with rock salt (keeps the oysters from sliding around) and place oysters on half shell around the pan.

In a medium-size sauce pan over medium low heat, add butter, parsley, garlic, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce and pepper and stir together until thoroughly combined.

Once oven broiler is hot, add the oysters in their half-shells to the top rack. Broil oysters just slightly about 3 minutes. Spoon butter mixture over top of oysters and return to broiler until edges of oysters begin to curl and oysters puff up – about 4 minutes. 

Top each oyster with the topping mixture made with melted butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and optional bread crumbs. Open and check to see that the edges of the oysters are curling and the topping is bubbling and turning a golden brown.

Remove from oven and serve the oysters with fresh lemon slices and crusty French bread for sopping up the sauce.