Recipe: Oysters Rockefeller  | Vancouver Sun

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A perfect dish for serving at a holiday party, these oysters shared by Chef Tommy Shorthouse of Fanny Bay Oysters feature a warm baked topping that gives them a flavourful boost.

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Serve as a passed hors d’oeuvres while mingling or enjoy as an appetizer before a seasonal seated meal:

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Oysters Rockefeller

1 dozen Fanny Bay small- or medium-size oysters in shell

Topping

1 stalk celery, diced small

1/3 bulb fennel, diced small

3 cloves garlic, diced

2 cups (500 mL) spinach

1 oz (30 mL) white wine

1 tbsp (15 mL) butter

2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Juice from 1/2 lemon, plus zest

Hollandaise Sauce

3 egg yolks

1 cup (250 mL) clarified butter

1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) white wine vinegar

Tabasco, to taste

Juice from half of a lemon

Salt, pinch

Old Bay Seasoning, pinch

In a pan, add butter and olive oil on medium heat. Add small diced fennel, celery, garlic and shallots, and cook until tender. Add the white wine and reduce until nearly evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper, lemon and zest, then remove from heat to cool.

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Bring a pot of water to simmer and blanch spinach for 5-7 seconds, then immediately remove and ice to stop the cooking. Remove spinach from ice water, drain off all of liquid. Transfer the spinach and cooled fennel/celery mixture into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.

Shuck oysters and place them on a baking sheet in the shell. Use crumpled tin foil or rock salt to hold them up and prevent them from tipping. Spread your mixture evenly across the top of the oysters and bake at 375 F for 12 minutes or until bubbling.

While the oysters are baking, make your hollandaise sauce. In a medium metal bowl, add the egg yolks and vinegar. Whisk over a simmering pot of water, be careful not to scramble the eggs. Mixture should become a thick, ribbony consistency. Continue whisking while slowly adding in the warmed clarified butter. Season with a pinch of salt, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and fresh lemon juice.

Remove oysters from the oven and top with your hollandaise sauce and sprinkle some Old Bay Seasoning on top before serving.

Pro tip: If you have a kitchen torch, you can also lightly torch the top of the Rockefeller.

Serves 2-4.