Oyster And Bacon Stuffing Recipes

BACON, MUSHROOM, AND OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place bacon in a large, deep skillet; cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve drippings in the skillet.
• Add the butter to the bacon drippings and melt over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, garlic, and mushrooms in the butter and drippings until the onion has caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the wine into the skillet; allow the wine to warm; remove from heat.
• Place the stuffing cubes in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable mixture over the cubes. Add the chicken stock. Fold the oysters into the mixture. Transfer the stuffing to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

HERBED OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Spread bread cubes in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden, 25 to 30 minutes total. Cool bread in pans on racks, then transfer to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet.
• If bacon renders less than 1/4 cup fat, add enough oil to skillet to total 1/4 cup fat. Cook onions, celery, thyme, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper in fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread cubes, then stir in bacon, parsley, butter, and oysters. Drizzle with stock, then season with salt and pepper and toss well.
• Transfer stuffing to a buttered 3- to 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

OYSTERS & BACON IN STUFFING BALLS ( TOAD CHATEAU'S )

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Fry bacon lightly sprinkled with brown sugar, watch carefully, so not to burn. Drain, crumble and set aside
• In a small bowl, mix by hand, the bacon, oysters, stuffing, seasonings if using and water, adding more water if too dry or more stuffing if too wet.
• Using a tablespoon, hand shape into balls. Place balls onto a rack on a foil lined baking sheet.
• Bake 10 - 20 minutes, watching after 10 minutes for too much browning, ovens vary. Remove and serve.

OYSTER STUFFING

Steps:

• Put the oysters in a strainer over a medium bowl to catch their liquor. Reserve 3/4 cup of the oyster liquor. In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread and oysters.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the bacon and cook for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the bacon, shallot, celery, salt, and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, reserved oyster liquor, and vermouth and bring to a boil. Transfer the shallot-herb mixture to the cornbread and oysters and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Transfer the cornbread mixture to a buttered 1-quart gratin dish, dot with the remaining butter, and bake until browned and crusty, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
• Butter a 3 1/4 x 5 3/4 x 2-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and combine with the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and mix lightly with a rubber spatula until a thick batter is formed. Stir in the melted butter until just incorporated.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Yield: 1 small loaf of cornbread

OYSTER-AND-BACON DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack in upper third. Brush a shallow 2-quart baking dish with butter.
• Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium until crisp and fat is rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, leaving fat in skillet. Add onion and celery to skillet; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and golden in places, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in sage and cayenne; cook 30 seconds. Add wine and boil until mostly evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cream and reserved oyster liquor; simmer until reduced and thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in oysters; season with salt.
• In a large bowl, toss crackers with melted butter to evenly coat. Sprinkle one-third of cracker mixture evenly in bottom of prepared baking dish. Spoon half of oyster mixture evenly over crackers. Repeat layering with another one-third of cracker mixture and remaining half of oyster mixture. Toss remaining one-third of cracker mixture with parsley; sprinkle evenly over top.
• Bake until golden brown on top and heated through, 20 to 25 minutes (if top is browning too quickly, tent with foil). Sprinkle with bacon and serve immediately.