Deviled Oysters or Clams
Submitted by camibu
Old-school deviled oysters (or clams) baked in shells with a rich cream sauce, egg yolk, and crispy breadcrumb topping. Simple, elegant, and ready in 15 minutes.
YIELD
1 servingPREP
10 minCOOK
5 minREADY
15 minThis is vintage coastal cooking at its simplest. Fresh oysters or clams nestled in their shells, blanketed with a velvety cream sauce, and baked until the breadcrumbs turn golden.
The sauce comes together fast: butter and flour thicken the cream, then beaten egg yolks add richness and help everything set in the oven. A scattering of breadcrumbs on top gives you that satisfying crunch against the tender shellfish.
Bake them in a water bath for gentle, even heat that keeps the oysters plump instead of rubbery. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.
Pro Tips
- Use the deepest half of each shell to hold the filling; nestle shells in rock salt on a baking sheet to keep them level
- A water bath prevents the bottoms from overcooking and keeps the oysters tender
- Works equally well with fresh clams if oysters aren’t available
- Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread to soak up every drop of that cream sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Throw oysters in a sieve so as to drain.
Take out the eyes.
Cut the oysters in half and drain again. Heat cream.
When warm, add the mixed flour and butter and stir until it thickens.
Take from the fire. Add the oysters and last the beaten eggs.
Put into shells. Sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs.
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