Thanksgiving Appetizer: Baked Oysters with Mushroom Ragout

Image via: The Food Network

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Ingredients

For the Oysters

• 2 dozen oysters

For the Ragout

• Freshly ground pepper
• Kosher salt
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme (pluck the leaves and discard twig)
• 2 shallots (minced)
• 1 cup of thick, hickory-smoked bacon (sliced)
• 2 tbsp of cold butter (chopped into small pieces)
• 1 cup of wild mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)

For the Aioli

• Kosher salt
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• 1 cup of extra-virgin oil
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)

Directions

• Make sure your oysters are fresh. Their shells should close when tapped or be tightly closed. If you bought them in advance, refrigerate them and only remove them when you’re ready to cook.
• Use a stiff brush to scrub the oysters to remove grit (you can use a new nail brush). Pry the shells apart with an oyster knife. As you separate them, be sure not to pierce the meat.
• Loosen the oysters with the knife but don’t remove them from the shell. Scrape any shards with the knife.
• Make the aioli by mixing the lemon juice, egg yolks, garlic, and a pinch of salt in a processor. As the motor runs, add the olive oil and blend until thick. Transfer the mixture to a bowl using a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate.
• To prepare the ragout, place the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until it becomes crisp. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook for 5 more minutes as you stir. Put the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes before adding the thyme and butter. Season with the pepper and salt.
• Preheat your oven then place the oysters in one large baking dish. To keep them steady, you can place a crumpled sheet of foil underneath. Put some ragout on each oyster and a spoonful of aioli.
• Bake the oysters until the aioli turns golden (approximately 2 minutes) then serve immediately.

Image via: Bryce Duffy

Sure, turkey might be the highlight of a Thanksgiving dinner, but the appetizers prepare guests for what’s to come. Make sure your guests remember every part of your dinner by getting off to a good start with this Thanksgiving appetizer. They will sing your praises.

For more Thanksgiving recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

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