South Jersey Oyster Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan or cast iron skillet add bacon and cook over low heat until rendered and crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan onto a paper towel line plate and keep the bacon fat over low heat. There should be about 1/4 cup of bacon fat left in the pan, canola oil can be added if you need more. Add the onions and the celery and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the green onions, garlic, Essence, salt, and cayenne. Add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a light roux, about 3 minutes. Add the oyster liquor, cream and lemon juice, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Next add the oysters and cook just until the oysters start to curl, about 2 minutes. Remove the oyster mixture from the heat and add the bacon and parsley, let cool slightly.
• Roll the dough out on a floured work surface and split into 2 equal pieces. Transfer half of the dough to a 9-inch pie pan and form into a crust and set aside.
• Pour the oyster mixture into the pie shell and cover with the other half of the rolled out dough. Crimp around the edges to seal and make slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly prior to serving.
• In a food processor, combine the flour, diced butter and salt. Pulse the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle in the ice water and pulse until the mixture comes together. Turn the dough out of the food processor, form into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• 1 pie shell
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
• Published by William Morrow, 1993.

Steps:

• Parboil potatoes, celery and carrot until fork-tender. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Layer vegetables and oysters in baking pan. Dot top with butter; pour heated milk over. Cover with pastry. Paint with egg wash. Make a few small slashes in the pastry for the steam to escape. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
• Combine flour and butter with a pastry cutter, in a food processor, or by rubbing together with your fingers. Add shortening, and salt. Continue to combine adding 1/4 cup cold water. Gather into a ball and flatten into an 8-inch disc. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees with rack in center. Butter a shallow 9- to 10-inch baking or pie dish. Drain oysters, reserving the liquid. Check oysters for shells, and discard shells. Melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a medium skillet, and cook scallions until soft, 3 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco Sauce. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and let cool.
• Stir in oysters, 1/4 cup parsley, salt, and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs and remaining 3/4 cup parsley. Melt remaining 11 tablespoons butter, and stir into crumb mixture. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the reserved oyster liquid with half-and-half. Spread an even, thin layer of the crumb mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with one-third of the oyster mixture. Cover with 1/2 cup crumb mixture, followed by one-third of the oyster liquid. Continue until all ingredients are used, two more times, ending with crumb mixture. Bake until golden brown on top, 25 to 35 minutes. Serve hot.

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. Drain bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon grease. Crumble bacon and set aside.
• Heat bacon grease and vegetable oil over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook until flour is light brown. Slowly whisk in milk and 1 cup reserved oyster liquid. Stir until a thick gravy has formed.
• Stir in Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning and oysters. Pour mixture into a 9 inch pie shell and cover with top crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until crust is golden.