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Oyster Fricassee Recipe

"The colonists had a ready source of oysters from Chesapeake Bay," says Susan Dippre who oversees the gardens at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. "I enjoy this rich, creamy casserole, a special dish from Colonial Williamsburg's holiday recipe collection."

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Oyster Fricassee Recipe

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 25 min. + standing

Yield: 6 Servings

20 25 45

Ingredients

1 quart shucked oysters
2 medium onions, chopped
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 50 crackers)
Lemon slices and fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Directions

Drain oysters, reserving oyster liquor; set aside. In a large saucepan, saute onions and celery in 1/2 cup butter for 4-6 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Reduce heat; add the parsley, salt, thyme, pepper, cayenne and reserved oyster liquor. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot liquid into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly.
Pour half of the sauce into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with half of the oysters; sprinkle with half of the cracker crumbs. Repeat layers. Melt remaining butter; drizzle over the top.
Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 23-28 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and thyme sprigs. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving equals 639 calories, 44 g fat (23 g saturated fat), 297 mg cholesterol, 1,024 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 17 g protein.

Originally published as Oyster Fricassee in Country Woman December/January 2009, p12