GREEN FAIRY OYSTERS

Green Fairy Oysters image

What to serve with absinthe? The liquor once known as the Green Fairy is as tricky to pair with food as it is beautiful to look at. Here is a recipe based on Daniel Boulud's almost improbably verdant "super green" spinach served at Bar Boulud. I placed the oysters, raw, in shells that were heated in the oven, and cloaked them with the hot spinach, making the oysters deliciously, delicately warm.

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Categories finger foods, appetizer, side dish

Time 40m

Yield 2 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

18 oysters on the half shell
Salt
2 bunches spinach, well rinsed, stems removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove oysters from shells and set aside. Place shells on a baking sheet and place in oven. Have a bowl of ice and water ready.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1/3 of the spinach, then cook a minute or two, until spinach has wilted; remove and place in ice water. Stir. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a skillet. Cook until nut-brown.
When spinach has chilled, a few minutes, drain and place in a blender with browned butter. Blend until puréed, adding up to 1/3 cup water as needed for blender to process spinach, scraping sides of container a few times.
Heat remaining butter in skillet. Add shallots and sauté until soft. Add remaining spinach and sauté over medium-high heat until spinach is wilted and most of liquid in pan has evaporated. Fold in spinach purée, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Arrange hot shells on a warm platter and put an oyster in each. Briefly reheat spinach and spread a scant tablespoonful on top of each oyster, just covering it. Serve at once.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 348, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 17 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 27 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 1023 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams