Serves
1 dozen oysters
Ingredients
Ingredients:
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon thyme leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 large oysters
1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges for serving
Warm crusty bread for serving
Procedure
Invest in a sturdy oyster knife for safety and ease of opening your oyster. Use a folded towel to protect your hands from the knife tip and jagged shells.
Procedure:
Scrub oysters with a stiff brush before cooking to remove excess dirt; any with open shells should be discarded.
To shuck oysters: Line a large plate with crushed ice or bunch a clean dishcloth on a large plate to stabilize the shucked shells. Fold a clean kitchen towel into thirds lengthwise and set it on your work surface. Place one oyster flat side up, belly side down onto the towel with the hinge side facing your dominant hand, fold one side of the towel over the oyster so only the hinge is exposed and place your non-dominant hand on top of the towel wrapped oyster.
Work the tip of your oyster knife into the hinge, this might take a few tries to find the spot where the knife will slide in. Wiggle the knife tip into the oyster until you feel the pressure from the shell on both sides of the knife. Work the knife up and down in a twisting motion until you feel the top shell release from the bottom, then twist your knife to pry the shells apart. Remove your knife and wipe clean. Insert your knife back into the opening and work your knife around the top shell to sever the muscle keeping the shells together.
Discard the top shell. Inspect the opened oyster and remove any pieces of shell that may have fallen into the meat. Give the oyster a smell, it should smell like the sea. The final step is to slide the knife under the oyster, freeing it from the bottom shell, be careful to not tip out any of the liquid.
Place the shucked oyster onto cast iron oyster pan. Repeat the process with the remaining oysters.
To prepare butter sauce: To a small saucepan set over medium heat add butter, garlic, thyme, lemon zest, and black pepper. Heat while stirring occasionally until butter is melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Generously top oysters with melted butter mixture, reserve any remaining butter for serving. Sprinkle oysters with cheese and parsley. Transfer the cast iron pan to the oven or grill and roast until oysters start to bubble up and the edges begin to curl, 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove pan and serve oysters in the pan with lemon wedges and bread for dipping in the butter sauce.
