ANTOINETTE’S CHRISTMAS TRADITION

Rate this post

“Life is too short not to have oysters and champagne.”

Christi Brinkley

Hi there,

Today it is my pleasure to share a recipe and a story from the very accomplished Antoinette Truglio Martin. Antionette is a very accomplished writer, and her blog is called Stories Served Around The Table. She is currently working on a series about the experience of coming to America and coming of age in America as an immigrant. The books are wonderfully written and would make great Christmas presents. Antionette’s blog can be found at www.antoinettetrugliomartin.com 

Antoinette’s Oyster Rockefeller

Christmas Eve is the night of the seven fishes. Each of my sisters, a few nieces, and Mom have assignments. It usually adds up to a dozen or more dishes throughout the night as we wait for Santa Claus’ arrival (after the dishes are cleaned, before dessert and coffee).

My assignment is Oysters Antoinette, my spin on Oysters Rockefeller. I am fortunate to live in oyster mecca-the south shore on Long Island. Oyster farming is enjoying a Renaissance here. Blue Point oysters are, in my opinion, the best—plump with a hint of a salty brine. They taste like oysters. My recipe uses mild flavored ingredients and minimal texture so that the oysters’ deliciousness comes through. They never disappoint. 

Ingredients for 1 dozen oysters (do the math for a big crowd)

            1 dozen oysters, shucked with their juices saved, clean 12 oyster shells

            1 small shallot chopped

            1 Tbs butter

            2 cups of chopped spinach

            chopped fresh tarragon and parsley (I like more parsley)

            Splash of light white wine like pinot grigio (optional)

1-2 cloves of roasted garlic

¼ cup of ½ and ½

½-3/4 cup of grated fontina cheese (depending on how cheesy you like your oysters)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a saute pan, melt the butter with the roasted garlic and cook the shallots until transparent. Stir in the spinach, parsley, tarragon and a dash of salt.. When the spinach is almost wilted, splash in the wine if desired, and 1-2 Tbs of the oyster juice. Add the ½ and ½, stir until everything looks cooked. Take the pan off the heat, Let it cool until warm-ish. Stir in the grated fontina cheese.

Set the oyster shells on a pan. Spoon one raw oyster into each shell. Dollop the spinach mixture on top of each oyster. Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes. 

Cooking time depends on taste. My family has no problem slurping the gems down raw, so I cook Oysters Antoinette when they still have a little plumb to them. But if your crowd prefers a firm, slightly dried morsel, then cook it longer, but keep an eye on it. No one likes a burned oyster. 

Doesn’t this recipe sound wonderful? I hope you have enjoyed meeting Antionette. I know if you visit her blog (www.antoinettetrugliomartin.com ), you will become a fan. Thank you, Antoinette, for sharing your Holiday Story and recipe.

23 responses to “ANTOINETTE’S CHRISTMAS TRADITION”

  1. V.M.Sang – UK – I was born and educated in the north west of England. I trained as a teacher in Manchester and taught in Salford, Lancashire, Hampshire and Croydon. I write fantasy novels currently. I also make cards, knit, crochet, tat, do cross stitch and paint. I enjoy walking on the Downs, cycling and kayaking. I do not enjoy housework, but like cooking.
    V.M.Sang says:

    This sounds delicious, but I have one question. What is 1/2 and 1/2?

  2. Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
    Darlene says:

    These look very good. Hubby is allergic to shellfish but I could make a few for me! BTW, the link to Antoinette’s blogsite doesn’t work. xo

  3. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen – I'm a writer, cook, gardener, photographer, poet, quilter, and accomplished daydreamer. I'm also a wife, mother, grandmother, sister. cousin, aunt, and friend, no particular order on any given day. I've been a writer all my life, newspaper reporter and columnist, radio news writer, and magazine contributor, and poet and short-story writer as the spirit moves. Now, I turn my attention to my cookbook, the blog, and a cooking column "Memorable Meals," which runs in our county newspaper. Besides my family, I love dogs, cats, good coffee, chocolate, and my never-dwindling pile of books I intend to read. Our family ran a small Vermont Inn for 18 years, with our focus on local, organic ingredients. I cook from scratch, and try not to use anything that has ingredients I cannot pronounce! After many years of daily serving up local delicacies, cooking classes, and catering, we are now only open for special events, and the odd cooking class. We also host musicians and artists, having helped produce a musical festival and other musical events for nearly 20 years. Many incredible artists have found a place at our table. Wonderful experiences, we will treasure always. My family and friends are my practice subjects. With a family that includes nut, peanut, tree fruit, and vegetable allergies, gluten intolerance, dairy intolerance, vegetarians, vegans, heart conscious, and a couple of picky eaters, there has to be a few quick tricks in the book to keep everyone fed and happy! Personally, I do not eat red meat or most full-fat dairy (usually) for health reasons, making the occasional exception at Thanksgiving and Christmas or our anniversary if the duck is locally raised. I do eat fish and seafood, so I try to come up with alternatives and substitutions when available. I serve local organic eggs and cheeses to my family who can tolerate dairy (My husband recently had a heart attack, and I need to watch my own cholesterol so I am careful, but have been known to let a little piece of really good cheese accidentally fall on my plate!). I believe strongly that eating in a way that is good for our planet is also good for our bodies, and I try to educated myself about our food sources! I cook by the seasons and draw on inspiration from the strong and talented women in my family who came before me, as well as the youth in the family who look at the world with fresh eyes. Food links us all, whether sharing a meal, cooking it together, or writing about it for others to enjoy. I love taking an old recipe and giving it a modern spin, especially if I can make it a littler healthier and use foods that are kinder to the Earth and to our bodies. I believe strongly in sustainable, delicious eating of whole foods, and the wonderful flavors we have at our fingertips! And finally, I love conversing with all the talented cooks and chefs out there who dot the globe! It's a wonderful, world full of culinary pen pals, and I cherish them all! XXXOOO Dorothy
    Dorothy’s New Vintage Kitchen says:

    I love the Christy Brinkley quote. I have a photograph of my sister taken last summer when, on a whim, we decided to go out to lunch for no particular reason at a really lovely restaurant near us. And for no particular reason, we ordered champagne and oysters and feasted! I strongly advise this!

  4. Chef Mimi – As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!
    Chef Mimi says:

    Love this and love the story. Unfortunately the link didn’t work to her blog.

  5. the Painted Apron – Life is all about creativity for me, as long as I'm creating something I am happy! I hope I will inspire your daily life and give you ideas for your own wonderful creations!
    Jenna says:

    I love hearing about different family traditions, this sounds lovely!

  6. Awakening Wonders – Everyday life is filled with wondrous things and embraceable moments, but only if we allow ourselves to be fully awakened. I invite you to join me as I share passionate life adventures and ramblings that awaken my spirit. I look forward to awakening your senses to the simple, joyous wonders that are all around us. I feel that we are destined to become soulful adventurers!
    Awakening Wonders says:

    Recipes and family stories do not get any better, thanks!

  7. Oysters Antoinette has a definite ring to it!

  8. Retirement Reflections – Vancouver Island, BC – Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.
    Retirement Reflections says:

    Hi, Bernadette – It is wonderful to see Antoinette here. I wholeheartedly agree – life is too short not to enjoy oysters and champagne!

  9. D. Wallace Peach – 30 Miles beyond the edge of civilization, Oregon – I'm an adventurer in writing, peering under rocks in my garden for secret magic. I can't stop writing. My stories want to explode from my head. They demand my attention and surge from my fingertips faster than I can put them to paper. I love what I do.
    D. Wallace Peach says:

    Antoinette’s Oyster Rockefeller sounds delicious. This is one of my favorite things to order when I go out to dinner and there are never enough of them to satisfy my enormouse oyster appetite. Lol. I’ll try these at home where I can make as many as I want. 🙂 Thanks to Antoinette for the recipe, and thanks for sharing, Bernadette.

  10. Hi Bernadette, this is quite a different sort of Christmas menu. 7 Fish and oysters. My mom would love it. Me, I’m not an oyster fan but I do eat other fish.

    • I never used to buy champagne either because Dom doesn’t drink it and the bottle would go flat. then, I discovered there are special stoppers made for champagne. Now I have it when the mood strikes.

  11. This sounds good. I just wish I liked oysters. I follow Antoinette on our Weekend Coffee share link up and decided to head over and check your site out. I always love new recipes.

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. If you like this recipe, please give it to your friends.Cancel reply