From Oceanaire Seafood Room executive chef Matt Mine, serves 14-16.
Ingredients
2 loaves bread
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 cup diced celery
2 cups diced red onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup fresh thyme
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 pound shucked oysters
2 cups (16 ounces) oyster or clam juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice bread and place in a baking pan in a single layer. Toast in oven until golden brown. Cool and cut or tear into 1-inch pieces.
In a saute pan, fry bacon until crisp. Add celery, onion and jalapeño and simmer 5 minutes. After vegetables are soft, add thyme, paprika, mustard and oysters, and cook 5 minutes more.
In a baking dish, combine toasted bread and oysters. Add oyster juice to soften bread. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake 5 minutes to give the top layer that special crunch.
