For seafood week... (for four -- or two crazed lovers) Rock salt 1/4 cup minced shallots (or scallions) 1/4 cup minced celery 1/2 clove garlic, peeled and sliced thin 1 cup butter 2 cups finely chopped watercress leaves 1/3 cup soft white bread crumbs (plain) 1/3 cup minced parsley 1/3 cup minced fresh fennel 1/4 cup Pernod or anisette Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more than a pinch) 2 dozen oysters on the half shell Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Make beds of rock salt in enough, whatever size baking pans you have that will hold all the oysters. (If you're wondering what the rock salt is really for, it's to hold the oysters level so they don't tip and loose their liquid. Now you know.) Moisten the rock salt slightly with water and heat uncovered in oven 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir-fry the scallions, celery, and garlic in butter over moderate heat 3-5 minutes until limp. Add watercress and stir-fry 1 minute, just until wilted. Pour skillet mixture into a blender or processor, add remaining ingredients (except oysters), and puree at high speed. Arrange oysters in shells on hot salt. Push them into the salt enough to make sure they don't tip -- you want to keep their liquids within each shell. Cover each oyster with one tabelspoon puree and bake, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes or until bubbly. Serve at once. If you've used four 8-9" piepans, serve them in the pans on the salt. This is an appetizer for six but some lady vigorously requested this a day ago for just her and her husband. Joe (aka gardengigolo) (I have a simpler one next)
