Oyster And Asparagus Casserole Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Drain the oysters, reserving juice.
• In a small mixing bowl combine margarine and crushed saltine crackers. Cut the oysters into small pieces, set aside. In a small mixing bowl combine cream, oyster juice and Worcestershire sauce.
• Spread one can of corn onto the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of the oysters over the corn, 1/2 of the cracker mixture. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients. Pour the oyster juice mixture over the top of the entire casserole. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake casserole for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan. In a heavy -bottomed pot, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute, stirring for 2 minutes. Turn heat down to medium and sprinkle the flour over the leeks. Saute, stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the boiling chicken stock all at once. Beat vigorously with a whisk to incorporate the flour into the stock. Return to boil and add the celery. Reduce to a bare simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.
• When ready to serve, divide the raw oysters and the cooked asparagus tips among 6 wide, shallow soup bowls. If you find the soup too thick, add some oyster liquor to thin it. Strain the soup, bring it to a boil, add the Pernod, and turn off heat. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with a whisk. Season to taste and pour immediately over the oysters and asparagus in the soup bowls, keeping the oysters just above the surface of the veloute. Garnish with fresh tarragon leaves, if available.
• As an appetizer: The best way to use this recipe, we feel. A great start to a late-winter/early-spring dinner that leads, perhaps, into a roast leg of lamb. A wonderful way to serve it is to place the bowls before your guests, with the oysters and asparagus already set in them. Then, bring a tureen to the table and ladle the veloute over all.
• As a main course: If you simply increase the amount of oysters and asparagus-say 8 per person rather than 4-you'll have a light but filling main-course soup. Serve warmed French bread with it, and a light frilly salad tossed with fresh goat cheese.

Steps:

• PREPARATION Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and add lemon juice. Bring to a boil, add artichokes and cook until artichokes are tender when pierced with a knife through the bottom, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. Scrape fleshy part of each leaf into a bowl, discarding leaves. Using a small spoon or knife, remove prickly choke at center of base, then cut base into large chunks, adding it to bowl. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and sauté just until mushrooms are tender and have released their liquid; do not allow pan to dry. Immediately transfer mushrooms and any liquid to a small bowl. Place a large skillet over medium-low heat and add 8 tablespoons butter. When butter has melted, add flour and stir until mixture is lightly browned. Add scallions, oysters and their liquor, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until oysters are firm, about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9- to 10-inch round shallow baking pan or pie plate, spread artichoke pieces. Top with oyster mixture and mushrooms. Spread with an even layer of bread crumbs. Dot with small pieces of remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot on small plates.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, toss the cracker crumbs and butter. In another bowl, combine the salt, nutmeg and pepper. In a greased 11x7-in. baking dish, layer half of the crumbs, half of the oysters and 1/4 teaspoon of seasoning mixture., Combine soup and milk; pour over the top. Layer with remaining oysters and another 1/4 teaspoon of seasoning mixture. Top with remaining crumbs and seasonings. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the upper third. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; prepare an ice bath. Add asparagus and cook until just tender and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to ice bath; drain.
• Return pot to medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes; remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard rendered fat or reserve for another use. Add butter to same pot and heat over medium until foamy. Add onion, nutmeg, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in mustard, then gradually whisk in milk and bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. (You should have about 2 cups bechamel.) If not using right away, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce to keep a film from forming.
• Spread 1 cup bechamel evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch-square baking dish. Reserving 1 cup for topping, sprinkle remaining asparagus over bechamel. Arrange reserved bacon in an even layer on top, followed by the sliced eggs, cracker crumbs and remaining bechamel. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup asparagus down the center of the casserole, then sprinkle the cheese evenly on top and season with black pepper. Bake until sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Turn oven to broil setting and continue to cook until golden-brown on top, 3 to 4 minutes more. Let cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wok over medium-low heat.
• Stir-fry ginger, scallion, and garlic until aroma develops, about 1 minute.
• Add asparagus and raise heat.
• Stir-fry for 1 minute.
• Pour in last 4 ingredients.
• Stir-fry quickly over high heat for 3 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.