Baked Oysters with Tasso Cream

Name: Baked Oysters with Tasso Cream
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 1 dozen (1-1/2 cups sauce).
Ingredients: 4 slices white bread; 1/4 cup butter, melted; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon pepper; 3 ounces tasso ham or fully cooked chorizo, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup); 2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 cups heavy whipping cream; 1 to 2 dashes Louisiana-style hot sauce; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 dozen fresh oysters in the shell, scrubbed

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 1 hour Bake: 10 min. YIELD: 1 dozen (1-1/2 cups sauce).

I love nothing more than a cold beer and a shucked oyster, so when my partners and I opened Saw’s Juke Joint in Birmingham, Alabama, we wanted to add them to the menu. We love making them, we love serving them and our guests love eating them. —Taylor Hicks, Las Vegas, Nevada

Ingredients

4 slices white bread
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces tasso ham or fully cooked chorizo, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 to 2 dashes Louisiana-style hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 dozen fresh oysters in the shell, scrubbed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet; bake 8-10 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Break bread into smaller pieces; place in a food processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a small bowl. Add melted butter, salt and pepper; toss to combine.
2. In a large skillet, cook ham over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until tender. Stir in cream. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Add hot sauce; season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
3. Increase oven setting to 350°. Shuck oysters, leaving oysters in the half-shell. Arrange on a rack in a shallow baking pan; sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 8-10 minutes or until topping is golden brown and oysters are plump. Top with sauce just before serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 oyster with 2 tablespoons sauce: 236 calories, 22g fat (13g saturated fat), 79mg cholesterol, 229mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 5g protein.