Breaking news: Oysters and sparkling wine pair beautifully together. Okay, we’re joking about the first part but the second part definitely holds some truth. It’s no secret that oysters and sparkling wine or champagne have cemented themselves in the culinary world as one of the most classic pairings of all time. And with oyster season in full swing as the weather cools down, why not make the best of it? The general rule of oyster season is that months that contain an “r” in its name (September, October, November, etc…) as opposed to months without (May, June, July) will yield the best oysters because they would have had enough time to spawn in the summertime. Now that we’ve entered the ideal time period for enjoying oysters, it’s also important to find the perfect wine to pair it with.
The bubbles in a sparkling wine grants the magic to the perfect marriage of flavors and textures when drank with oysters. The silky, velvety texture of oysters provides a lovely contrast to the fizziness of sparkling wine. And the Scharmasberg 2010 Blanc de Blancs provides the right amount of dryness and crisp acidity, which makes an elegant choice to both raw oysters and cooked oyster dishes such as Oysters Rockefeller.
Source: A Glass After Work
“The 2010 Blanc de Blancs open with fresh aromas of green apple, juicy pineapple and ripe grapefruit. The fruitful nose is complemented by developed nuances of fresh baked brioche and lemon tart. Bright flavors of grapefruit, lime and pineapple, are accented by a slight minerality on the finish. The plate is crisp on entry, with a long, tangy and refreshing acidity.”
– Tasting Notes from Winemakers Keith Hock and Hugh Davies
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And now, here is our take on the classic Southern appetizer, perfect for serving with this particular sparkling wine. While oysters on their own are already delicious and don’t need a lot of flavor added to them, for these, we’ll make an exception.
Oysters Rockefeller
Yields: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 dozen oysters, shucked on a half shell
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 bunch of watercress, chopped
- 1 pound of rock salt
- 2 cups of spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup of green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup of Pernod
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Use a food processor to chop the garlic, watercress, spinach and green onions by pulsing it until the mixture is well combined. Remove the mixture from the food processor.
3. Add the bread crumbs, butter, Pernod and hot sauce to the food processor and pulse until roughly mixed. Return the garlic mixture and pulse until well blended.
4. Place oysters onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with plenty of rock salt. Spoon out a generous dollop of the green mixture onto the oysters. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake the oysters until the cheese and green mixture is browned on the top.
Have you ever had Oysters Rockefeller before? What’s your favorite wine or champagne to pair up with oysters?