Oyster Dressing
Oyster dressing is a favorite of New Englanders that dates back to the 18th century in America as oysters were predominantly found along the eastern coast of North America. Oysters had been used with or without bread crumbs for stuffing poultry or fish over 335 years. The tradition of oyster dressing was brought over from British colonists that settled in America. In Britain, oysters were added to stuffing that was more traditionally used in fowl (chicken), fish, calves head, leg of mutton, hares (rabbit) and pigs.
By the 17th century, directions for stuffing fowl with oysters appeared in cookery books across Europe, including the 1683 Dutch book The Sensible Cook. While the oyster enjoyed elite status in many parts of Europe, the cultivation of oysters in New England led to its every-day appearance on the table of the common colonist so that by the 18th century, the "urban poor were sustained by little more than bread and oysters" making the mollusk a particularly useful and "economical ingredient for stuffing fowl" according to John F. Mariani in the Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink.
Oyster stuffings, or dressings as they are sometimes called, feature prominently in menus of coastal communities, particularly among New Englanders, coastal Southerners and among Pacific Northwest islanders. Northern stuffing recipes typically use a white-bread base, while southern variations start with cornbread.
Grandma’s Oyster Dressing
from https://whatscookingamerica.net/
This recipe uses cornbread, which is typical of Southern style oyster dressings.
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup chopped onion
4 green onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 cups crumbled Cornbread (either homemade or store bought)
3 cups bread crumbs, small dice*
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 pint shucked fresh (live) oysters, drained (reserve 1/2 cup oyster liquid)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly butter a large rectangular baking pan.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Saute onions and celery in the butter until tender; remove from heat an add a small pinch of cayenne and let cool.
Combine cornbread and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Gently fold in sauteed onions, salt, pepper, and parsley.
Add beaten eggs and toss more; moisten with the reserved oyster liquid until moist but not soggy. Gently stir in the oysters. [may want to chop the oysters a bit]
Pat the mixture into the prepared baking pan (it should make a 1-inch layer in the pan).
Dot with remaining butter and bake about 45 minutes, until golden brown and set in the center.
Holiday Oyster Stuffing and Dressing
This recipe for holiday oyster stuffing is prepared in the style of Colonial New England, made with white bread instead of cornbread.
2 oz unsalted butter
6 generous cups bread cubes, preferably French or Italian, crusts removed
1 large onion, diced
4 oz fresh or jarred oysters
1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp chervil (or parsley) dried
1 tsp celery salt
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 350F. Spread bread cubes on a flat baking sheet and toast for five minutes on each side.
Meanwhile, drain (if jarred), rinse and pay dry oysters, then chop into ½” pieces.
In a large skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add in diced onion and sauté until translucent.
Add white wine, chicken stock and bay leaf to onions and continue to simmer for 10 minutes until broth has started reducing. Add chopped raw oysters to skillet during the last five minutes, stirring once to ensure even cooking.
Remove bay leaf from skillet. In large bowl, combine oyster broth mix to toasted bread crumbs. Stir in chervil, celery salt and black pepper. Add in beaten egg and still well until thoroughly coated.
Pour into a 9x9” baking dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until top begins to brown and crisp.
