Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients

• 24oysters, shucked, on the half shell
• 10 1/2 ozspinach
• 4 1/4 ozunsalted butter, softened
• 2 ozshallots, very finely chopped
• 3/4 ozflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 3 sprigfresh tarragon, leaves only, chopped
• 2 tbsppernod
• 1 3/4 ozparmesan, finely grated
• 1/2 tsptabasco
• 1/2 tspsea salt
• 1 1/8 lbcoarse salt, for the tray, not eaten

Method

1. 1

   Wilt the spinach in a dry pan, cool it, then squeeze it out in a cloth until no more water comes and chop it finely.

2. 2

   Cook the shallots gently in a knob of the butter until completely soft and sweet, then take the pan off the heat.

3. 3

   Beat the remaining softened butter with the chopped spinach, shallots, parsley, tarragon, Pernod, Tabasco and salt until it is uniformly green.

4. 4

   Heat the oven to 450°F. Spread the coarse salt over a baking tray and nestle the shells into it so each one sits level.

5. 5

   Spoon the butter over each oyster to cover it completely, dust with parmesan, and bake until bubbling and lightly browned on top.