Galatoire's Oysters Rockefeller Recipe

Named for the richness of its sauce, Oysters Rockefeller is a dish that was created at Antoine’s Restaurant in New Orleans, the oldest family-run restaurant in the country. After opening in 1840, the restaurant endured the Civil War, two World Wars, the Great Depression and much more. Antoine’s has perfected the art of Creole fine dining and become one of the most revered restaurants in the Southeast.

While Antoine’s Oysters Rockefeller recipe remains a closely-guarded secret, many restaurants like Galatoire's, also in New Orleans, serve their own version of this classic dish. Established in 1905, just 25 years after Antoine’s, Galatoire’s Restaurant is steeped in tradition and consistently honored for its culinary excellence by the likes of New Orleans Magazine, Forbes, Garden & Gun and more.

Ingredients for Oysters Rockefeller:

    •    ¾ cup chopped fennel (bulb only)
    •    ¼ cup chopped leeks (green and white parts)
    •    ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
    •    2 finely chopped green onions
    •    1 finely chopped celery rib
    •    ¼ cup ketchup
    •    1½ cups chopped frozen spinach, cooked and drained
    •    ½ teaspoon salt
    •    ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    •    ½ teaspoon white pepper
    •    1 teaspoon dried thyme 
    •    1 teaspoon ground anise
    •    2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    •    ¼ cup Herbsaint liqueur*  
    •    1 cup melted butter
    •    ½ cup seasoned dried breadcrumbs
    •    6 dozen oysters on the half shell
    •    12 cups rock salt
    •    12 lemon wedges for serving

Method of Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, combine fennel, leeks, parsley, scallions, celery, ketchup, spinach, salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, anise, Worcestershire, and Herbsaint. Purée mixture thoroughly. Scrape into a large mixing bowl. Stir in butter and breadcrumbs; stir thoroughly.

Pour enough rock salt into 12 8-inch cake pans to cover bottoms. Arrange six oysters in their half shells in each pan.

Fill a pastry bag with the Oysters Rockefeller sauce and pipe equal portions of sauce over each shell or use a large tablespoon to distribute sauce. Bake five minutes until sauce sets. Increase heat to broil; broil oysters until tops are bubbling, about three to four minutes. It may be necessary to bake the oysters in batches.

To serve, line each of six dinner plates with cloth napkins that have been folded into neat squares. Nestle pans of oysters into folded napkins. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve the Oysters Rockefeller immediately. Serves six.

* If Herbsaint is unavailable, Pernod may be substituted.

Recipe courtesy of Louisiana Kitchen and Culture magazine.

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