Grilled Oysters With Spinach And Pine Nuts Recipes

GRILLED OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER WITH BABY SPINACH BACON FONDUE

Steps:

• Combine 4 tablespoons of the butter, the shallots, garlic, bacon and salt in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute until the shallots are translucent and the bacon is crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the flour and mix well to make a roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until the roux smells nutty, 4 to 5 minutes. Off the heat, deglaze the roux with the liqueur; carefully return the pan to the burner and let the liqueur flame. Add the cream and stir to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the baby spinach, nutmeg, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using; bring back to a boil and once again immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook until the spinach has softened and released its liquid, 4 to 6 minutes. Over medium heat, cook the mixture down to a fondue-like thickness, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve to the side.
• Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a small saute pan. When melted, remove from the heat and incorporate the breadcrumbs. Reserve to the side.
• Heat a grill to high heat. Preheat a broiler.
• Place the oysters on the grill and cook until the shells pop open, about 3 minutes. Remove the oysters to a cutting board and use an oyster knife to pry out the top shells, scraping the knife around the inside of each top shell to loosen the oyster. Once the top shell has been removed, discard it; then use the knife to scrape under the bottom of the oyster to separate it from the bottom shell, leaving the oyster "on the half shell."
• Spread the rock salt evenly on a baking sheet. Set the oysters, shell down, on the rock salt, pressing the shells into the salt. Spoon some of the baby spinach bacon fondue on top of each oyster; then sprinkle with the Parmesan, Gruyere and, lastly, the buttered breadcrumbs. Broil until the oysters are bubbly and the breadcrumbs toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

GRILLED OYSTERS ATHENA

Steps:

• Preheat a grill.
• Saute the shallots and garlic in olive oil until the shallots are translucent. Add the spinach and continue to saute until the spinach is tender and reduced in size. Add the cinnamon and pine nuts, mix, and set aside.
• Depending on the size of the oysters, arrange 1 to 2 oysters on reserved half-shells. Place a portion of the spinach mixture over the oysters. Spoon the bechamel sauce topping over the spinach mixture. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the bechamel.
• Grill on the half-shell over a medium high heat fire for approximately 5 to 10 minutes, or until oysters are done. Serve immediately.
• Melt butter in saucepan and whisk in flour until well blended. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the starchy taste of the flour. Gradually add the milk, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Beat the egg yolk slightly. Add the hot, thickened sauce to the egg yolk, stirring well. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the crumbled feta cheese and stir constantly until cheese is melted and fully incorporated. Remove sauce from heat and use immediately.

BAKED OYSTERS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Place the spinach in a large saucepan, cover, and steam over moderate heat for about 5 minutes or until tender.
• Drain the spinach, refresh under cold water, squeeze dry, and chop finely.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, heat half the butter, add the onion, and sauté over moderate heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the spinach, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cream.
• Stir well and cook over moderate heat for about 2 minutes, stirring in a few bread crumbs if necessary to thicken the mixture.
• Add the oysters and dill and stir well.
• Spoon the mixture into a well-buttered baking dish, sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, dot with the remaining butter, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

SAUTEED SPINACH WITH TOASTED PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 garlic clove in a 12-inch straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat, until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add a quarter of the spinach, and cook just until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander; drain. Repeat with remaining oil, garlic, and spinach.
• Transfer spinach to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon over spinach, and top with pine nuts.

RISOTTO WITH SPINACH AND PINE NUTS (RISTORANTE LA BRISA)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pine nuts in one layer in oven-proof dish, and place in oven for 15 minutes until they become golden. Remove and cool to room temperature.
• In another pot, heat 4 cups water and cook spinach until limp. Remove, drain, squeeze dry and chop finely.
• In a pot, heat chicken stock to boiling, lower heat and keep at gently rolling boil.
• In a frying pan, heat 1 1/2 table spoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add rice and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until rice is warm to the touch. Add half-cup of boiling chicken stock, stirring constantly until rice absorbs stock. Add 2 more half-cups of stock in half-cup amounts, again stirring while stock is absorbed. (Liquid should be bubblinggently.) Add spinach at this point, when rice is half-cooked. Stir and mix.
• Add rest of stock, in half-cup amounts (total cooking time of rice is approximately 30 minutes). Five minutes before rice is cooked, add Parmesan and 2 tablespoons of butter, and mix. Just before serving, mix in all but 1 tablespoon of the pine nuts, sprinkling the top with remaining nuts. If desired, add more Parmesan to taste.

SPINACH AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Wash the spinach, but allow the water to cling to the leaves. Cook the spinach until it wilts in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach, pine nuts, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.

SPINACH WITH PINE NUTS & GARLIC

Steps:

• Wash the spinach thoroughly and cram into a large pan. Pour over a little boiling water, cover tightly and cook for 2-3 mins, until the leaves have wilted.
• Tip into a colander and drain well. Use the side of a small plate to press the spinach down to extract the last of the water. If using frozen, defrost in the microwave and drain.
• Meanwhile heat the oil, add the pine nuts and fry until golden. Add the garlic and fry briefly, then stir in the spinach and stir until heated through. Season and serve in a warm side dish.

BREADED OYSTERS WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Cover the palm of your hand with a folded kitchen towel, and place an oyster in the center. With an oyster knife, scrape away any barnacles. Wipe the knife and thrust it into the hinge of the shell. Run the knife around the oyster and flip it open. Discard the top shell. Cut the muscle that holds the meat to the shell and transfer the meat and oyster brine to a saucepan. Repeat with remaining oysters.
• Place the saucepan over medium heat, bring the juices to a simmer and poach the oysters 1 minute, flipping them once while cooking. Transfer the oysters to a plate, and reserve the juices.
• In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg.
• Dip the oysters in the egg. Then, dredge them in the bread crumbs, tapping to remove excess. Set aside.
• Strain the reserved cooking juices through a fine sieve into a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Using a wire whisk, beat in the lemon juice and 6 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Set aside.
• In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add the spinach. Cook, stirring, until just wilted and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and keep warm.
• In another nonstick pan large enough to hold the oysters in a single layer, melt the 4 remaining tablespoons butter over high heat. When the butter begins to bubble, add the oysters and cook on one side until slightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip the oysters gently, and cook a minute or so, just until golden brown.
• Divide the spinach over 4 warmed serving plates. Spoon the sauce around the spinach. Arrange 6 oysters on each plate over the sauce. Sprinkle the border of the plate with paprika for color.

SPINACH WITH OLIVES, RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Place colander over large bowl. Line colander with kitchen towel. Toss 1/3 of spinach in heavy Dutch oven over high heat until wilted but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to prepared colander. Repeat with remaining spinach in 2 batches. Let spinach cool briefly. Gather towel around spinach and squeeze well, pressing out as much liquid as possible. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped garlic, olives and raisins and sauté until garlic begins to color, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and toasted pine nuts and toss until heated through. Add vinegar and toss. Season spinach generously with salt and pepper and serve.