I’m always on the look out for new oyster recipes. We get to harvest them fresh off the beach throughout most of the year and only getting to eat your oysters raw, fried or smoked can get old. I love oysters, I love harvesting them and I think our shellfish licenses are one of the most economical purchases the hubs and I make every year. Hence, I’m always looking for new ways to use up my oysters.
My cookbook Northwest Essentials: Cooking with Ingredients that Define a Region’s Cuisine by Greg Atkinson is a great resource for oyster recipes and has some great ones that I used as inspiration. My only issue with his recipes is that he must buy his oysters with the shell on (you’re not allowed to take the shells off of the state beaches in WA) and puts them straight onto a BBQ. I’m not about the pull out the ol’ grill in the winter rain so I improvised.
Baked Oysters with Greens, Cheese and Olive Oil
Note: This is an extremely flexible recipe, you basically use what you have on hand and make it work. Consequently, I didn’t include any measurements, I just use what looks good to me. They always taste good.
Ingredients:
Greens – I’ve used chopped spinach, arugula, and chives. I think you could use just about anything. Rinse them well and give them a rough chop.
Cheese – You want a flavorful cheese that will melt nicely. I’ve used grated parmesan and grated pecorino. I think a sharp cheddar has potential as well as a dollop of goat cheese.
Olive Oil
Fresh Raw Oysters – I usually do at least a dozen at a time
1. Set oven to 450 degrees
2. On a baking sheet place either small ramekins, small gratin pans or oyster shells.
4. In each vessel put down a layer of greens, then put 1-4 oysters on top (in a single layer). You can also put the greens on top of the oysters if you forget to put them underneath like I did.
5. Sprinkle with cheese
6. Put 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil on top of the cheese
7. Feel free to add some salt and pepper
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes until just barely done. I like mine just barely cooked all the way through.
9. Serve hot. Works well as an appetizer or a side dish.
I apologize for not having pictures of them after they come out of the oven. The get eaten up so quickly I never seem to have time to take photos.
Recipes and Raised Beds 
If you are up for it (or need an idea for a post) could you post a tutorial on shell-fish harvesting some time? I really want to do it but have no idea what to do!
That’s a great idea! Thanks!