Baked Oysters Rockefeller

Yield: 12 oysters
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Rock salt or dried beans for lining baking dish
12 medium oysters, shucked with bottom shells reserved
1 cup creamed spinach
Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons butter
2 large shallots, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and white ground pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 475 degrees

Pour rock salt or dried beans into a shallow baking dish. Place the oyster shells into the salt or beans to hold them in place.

Place a spoonful of creamed spinach into each shell.

Place 1 oyster on top of the spinach.

Drizzle the oysters with lemon juice.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat.

Cook the shallots in the butter until just soft. Do not brown.

Sprinkle the flour over top and whisk to form a bubbling paste.

Stir the milk into the paste. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the bay leaf, nutmeg and season with salt and white ground pepper. Stir until the sauce thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Place a tablespoon of the white sauce over the oyster. Sprinkle each one with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake until the oysters are plump and cooked through and the cheese has melted, about 8 to 10 minutes.