Recipe: Roasted Oysters with Calabrian Chile Butter
May 14, 2024

Recipe: Roasted Oysters with Calabrian Chile Butter

Recipe by Julia Heffelfinger

Serves 8 as an appetizer and 4 as an entrée 

 

Ingredients

  • 24 oysters shucked, on the half shell
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature 
  • 1 heaping Tbsp Calabrian chile paste
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, plus more lemon zest for garnish
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Rock or ice cream salt
  • Minced chives, for garnish
  • Saltine crackers, for serving

Process

  1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and then preheat to 500°F.

  2. In a small bowl or using a food processor, combine the softened butter with the Calabrian chile paste, garlic, lemon juice and zest and paprika until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 

  3. Spread a thick layer of rock salt on two rimmed baking sheets. Nestle the oysters in the salt and top each one with a heaping teaspoon of the butter. Roast the oysters in two batches, cooking until the butter is bubbling and the edges of the oysters are just beginning to curl, about 5 minutes. 

  4. Garnish with more freshly grated lemon zest and minced chives. Serve right away with saltines and a cold beer.