Oysters Rockefeller History

Oysters Rockefeller is an iconic dish born of necessity in 1899 at the legendary Antoine’s restaurant in New Orleans. French snails for their signature dish Snails Bourguignon were in short supply. Owner Jules Alciatore (the son of founder Antoine Alciatore) substituted abundantly available local oysters and baked them on the half shell in a bright green sauce. Jules named the dish “Oysters Rockefeller” because the sauce was money green and rich as millionaire John D. Rockefeller.

The original recipe remains a mystery, but we know that it was likely a puree of many green vegetables and herbs - no spinach. The ingredients have evolved and vary by region, but always tend to include spinach or other green vegetables, butter and a healthy splash of liquor.

Here’s our version using local Wellfleet Oysters, the same classic appetizer that we serve in our restaurants and – by popular demand – every holiday gathering at home.

Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients:

• 4 dozen oysters, on the half shell
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced
• A handful of fennel seeds, toasted
• 1/2 bag (about 8 oz.) fresh spinach
• 1 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3 tbsp. Pernod
• Salt to taste

Local Ingredient Source:

Wellfleet Oysters

Preparation:

Toast the fennel seeds in a dry pan over high heat. Set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter. Add garlic, shallots and sweat until translucent. Toss in spinach and sauté for 2 minutes or until it wilts.

Deglaze the pan with the Pernod. Add salt to taste.

Remove from heat and meld the mixture with the softened cream cheese. Arrange the shucked oysters on a baking sheet or mun pan (which cradles the half shell oysters perfectly) and add one spoonful of the savory mixture to each. Next, sprinkle the shredded Parmesan cheese atop each oyster. Bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for 6 - 7 minutes or broil under a medium flame until bubbling and golden brown.

Serve:

Be careful, they’re hot little oysters! Use a large serving spoon or spatula to transfer from pan-to-plate. When the shells are cool to the touch, devour!

Notes:

Sweating is a technique used to drawn out moisture and soften aromatic vegetables like onions and garlic without browning them. They key is to cook the onions and garlic on a low heat until they are translucent. Recipe courtesy of Mac’s Seafood. All rights reserved.

Recipe Courtesy of Mac’s Seafood. All rights reserved.

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About Our Partner Mac's Seafood

As the founder of Mac’s Seafood on Cape Cod, Mac has made it his life’s work to source and serve fresh, high-quality seafood in his restaurants and markets every season of the year - so you know the scallops, swordfish, littlenecks, and oysters on your plate didn’t travel far to get there.

“You can count on us to know where your fish comes from,” says Mac. That’s our commitment. That’s why we do what we do every day. In fact, the Wellfleet Oysters I use in this stuffing are farmed by local shellfishermen right down the street from my house. So give this recipe a try, you’ll make the seafood lovers around your Thanksgiving table VERY happy.”