Oysters Rockefeller with Romesco Sauce

Serves: 3-4 as an Appetizer

Difficulty: Normal

Ingredients 

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) Cream
• 12 Oysters
• Rock salt
• ¼ cup (60ml) Panko
• 2 Bulbs of garlic, chopped
• Salt
• 3 Lemons, lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Parmesan cheese
• Pepper
• Olive oil
• 3 cups (710 ml) Spinach, raw (1 ½ cooked)

ROMESCO SAUCE

• 1 medium Shallot
• ½ medium Tomato, chopped
• 2 medium Garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 Slices crusty bread (about 2 oz), cut into pieces
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Whole raw almonds
• 7.25 oz jar Roasted red peppers, drained (about 1 cup (250 ml))
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) Smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) Red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Olive oil
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Kosher salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C)
2. Add cream to a hot saucepan and reduce by half
3. Shuck oysters and lay on half shell on a baking sheet covered in rock salt.
4. Pour panko into a food processor. Add garlic, salt, lemon zest, grated parmesan, pepper, and olive oil. Blitz briefly.
5. Wilt spinach in a large oiled pan on high heat, with salt and pepper, for about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate to cool down.
6. Prepare your sauce. Place the onion, tomato, garlic, bread, and almonds to a large pan and roast until the bread and almonds are lightly toasted, about 5 to 7 minutes.
7. Transfer the roasted ingredients to a blender, and add roasted red peppers, paprika, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Blitz for about 20 seconds, until relatively smooth.
8. Alter the heat on the oven to a low broil.
9. Spoon cream from saucepan onto oysters. Top each oyster with wilted spinach and panko mixture. Place in oven on low broil.
10. Remove oysters from broiler. Spoon Romesco sauce over top and serve.