Arnaud's Oysters Bienville Recipe
Ingredients
| 24 to 36 large, fat oysters in the half shell | ||
| Egg yolks | 3 | |
| White wine | 3 Ounce | |
| 1 bunch shallots, or 2 large yellow onions, chopped very fine | ||
| 1/2 cup light cream or evaporated milk | ||
| Butter | 1/4 Pound | |
| Flour | 2 Tablespoon | |
| 1 pt. chicken broth or fish broth scalded | ||
| 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/8 teaspoon paprika, blended together | ||
| 1 1/2 Ibs. boiled shrimp, cleaned and chopped very fine | ||
| 1 can mushrooms, chopped fine | ||
| Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper or Tabasco Sauce | ||
| Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper or Tabasco Sauce | ||
Directions
Place the oysters, in their half shells, in a 375° to 400° oven and bake about 10 minutes or slightly longer just until they curl around the edges.
Take them out of the oven and set aside.
Make a chicken shrimp mushroom wine sauce as follows: Brown the very finely chopped onion or shallots in butter, stirring constantly, until they are golden.
Do this gently, so as not to crisp them but keep them juicy and soft.
Then add the flour. (Since you will add liquor from partly baked oysters to the sauce, the amount of flour will vary slightly according to the size and number of the oysters. The sauce should be moderately thick, so we advise that you start with 2 heaping tablespoons of flour and add a bit more later if necessary.)
Stir over a low flame untij the mixture is smooth and brown.
Slowly add the broth, which should be heated to the scalding, not boiling, point. (Fish broth is excellent with this.)
Add chopped shrimp and mushrooms.
Simmer until the sauce is smooth and beginning to thicken.
Then set aside the sauce and allow it to cool slightly.
Beat the egg yolks well (but not too much) along with the wine and the cream or evaporated milk.
Then slowly pour the warm sauce into the egg wine cream mixture, stirring and beating constantly to keep the mixture smooth and avoid curdling.
At this point add liquor from the pre baked oyster shells and season to taste with salt, white or black pepper, and a dash of cayenne or Tabasco Sauce.
Replace on fire and allow to cook over a low flame for 10 to 15 minutes, or until well thickened, stirring constantly to prevent lumping or scorching. (A tiny bit more flour may be added if the sauce seems too thin.)
When the sauce is thick, pour or spoon it carefully over each oyster and sprinkle well with the cheese breadcrumb paprika mixture, to form a fairly thick cover.
Place the shells in a 400° oven until the tops begin to turn golden brown.
Take them out of the oven and set aside.
Make a chicken shrimp mushroom wine sauce as follows: Brown the very finely chopped onion or shallots in butter, stirring constantly, until they are golden.
Do this gently, so as not to crisp them but keep them juicy and soft.
Then add the flour. (Since you will add liquor from partly baked oysters to the sauce, the amount of flour will vary slightly according to the size and number of the oysters. The sauce should be moderately thick, so we advise that you start with 2 heaping tablespoons of flour and add a bit more later if necessary.)
Stir over a low flame untij the mixture is smooth and brown.
Slowly add the broth, which should be heated to the scalding, not boiling, point. (Fish broth is excellent with this.)
Add chopped shrimp and mushrooms.
Simmer until the sauce is smooth and beginning to thicken.
Then set aside the sauce and allow it to cool slightly.
Beat the egg yolks well (but not too much) along with the wine and the cream or evaporated milk.
Then slowly pour the warm sauce into the egg wine cream mixture, stirring and beating constantly to keep the mixture smooth and avoid curdling.
At this point add liquor from the pre baked oyster shells and season to taste with salt, white or black pepper, and a dash of cayenne or Tabasco Sauce.
Replace on fire and allow to cook over a low flame for 10 to 15 minutes, or until well thickened, stirring constantly to prevent lumping or scorching. (A tiny bit more flour may be added if the sauce seems too thin.)
When the sauce is thick, pour or spoon it carefully over each oyster and sprinkle well with the cheese breadcrumb paprika mixture, to form a fairly thick cover.
Place the shells in a 400° oven until the tops begin to turn golden brown.
Chef
