Grilled Mussels, Clams, and Oysters

  Nothing quite matches the sweet, intense,and slightly charred taste of shellfish when it's cooked on the grill. Serve these simple grilled mussels, clams, and oysters with Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce, Old Bay Dipping Sauce, or Orange-Saffron Aioli.

• 30 fresh mussels, clams, or oysters in the shell

Scrub the shellfish with a stiff brush under cool running water. If the mussels have beards, pull them off. Pat dry.

Prepare a medium-high gas or charcoal fire. When the grill is ready, set the shellfish directly on the cooking grate (oysters cupped side down). Grill until the shells pop open, the meat is plump, and the juices are boiling and sizzling in the shell, 3 to 7 minutes for mussels, 6 to 10 minutes for clams, and 4 to 6 minutes for oysters; there’s no need to turn the shellfish. (Cooking times can vary widely, because the larger the shellfish, the longer it will take to cook; on the other hand, the fresher it is, the shorter the cooking time.) Remove the shellfish as they finish cooking, protecting your hands with tongs or hot pads. Discard any that don’t open. Serve on the half shell with the dipping sauce of your choice.

Oysters with Chorizo and Fennel

Chef Pete Evans adds Iberian complexity to his dish. A traditional mignonette of shallots, black pepper, and vinegar, gets a note of saffron and olive oil. Chorizo is a nod to the area’s Portuguese fisherman, and fennel is vital in Spanish cooking.

• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped shallots or red onions
• Pinch of saffron threads
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
• 1 lb. cured chorizo sausage, cut diagonally into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• 1 lb. fennel bulbs (2 large), trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 24 Sydney rock oysters (substitute Wellfleet or Kumamoto), shucked with some liquor reserved, arranged on the half shell

In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar and shallots. Crumble in the saffron, add 1 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and stir until the salt dissolves. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the olive oil until blended.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. of oil in 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Arrange the fennel and sausage on a plate. Spoon some of the vinaigrette into each oyster before serving, and use the remaining vinaigrette for dipping the sausage and fennel slices.

Sourdough Stuffing with Oysters and Bacon

This San Francisco-inspired stuffing is based on the classic Hangtown Fry, complemented of course by sourdough bread. Want to create your own customized Thanksgiving stuffing recipe? Use the Stuffing Recipe Maker.

• One 14- to 16-oz. loaf sourdough bread
• 3/4 lb. bacon, diced
• 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3/4 cup sliced leeks
• 1/2 cup fresh shucked oysters, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 cups turkey or chicken broth, more as needed
• 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Vegetable oil or cooking spray, for baking dish

Tear or cut the bread into 3/4-inch pieces until you have 8 to 10 cups. If working a day ahead, lay the pieces out on a rack and leave them uncovered on the counter to dry overnight. Otherwise, spread the bread out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 275° F oven, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until it is crisp and mostly dry; it will continue to dry a bit as it cools. Depending on how moist the bread is to begin with, oven-drying takes 15 to 45 minutes.


In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and fully cooked. Add the celery, onions, and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're slightly softened but still have some crunch. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the oysters.


Add the bread to the large mixing bowl, along with the parsley, sage, and thyme, and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Pour 2 cups of the broth over the stuffing. If the liquid isn't immediately absorbed and pools at the bottom of the bowl, you should have enough; just toss the mixture occasionally for a few minutes until the liquid is absorbed. At first, the bread cubes may feel wet on the outside and still be dry on the inside, but they'll even out as the stuffing cooks.If the bread immediately sucks up the initial 2 cups of liquid, add another 1/2 cup of broth and taste the mixture. The bread should be moist but not soggy. Add up to another 1/2 cup of broth if necessary.


Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper as needed. If the mixture doesn’t taste as rich as you’d like, add enough melted butter or olive oil to suit your taste. Once you’re satisfied with the flavor of the mixture, stir in the beaten eggs.


Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil or cooking spray. Spread the stuffing in the dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is lightly browned and crisp, another 20 to 30 minutes.

Grilled Oysters Rockefeller

“Hollywood,” as everybody in New Orleans knows him, is the master of the oyster bar at the Acme restaurant in the French Quarter. He is passionate about Gulf Coast oysters and even more so about the proper way to open one. “I’ve been lobbying the state to certify peoples that open oysters. It is an art, just like being a sushi chef,” he bellows. After he showed his technique and schooled me on the New Orleans way to eat a raw oyster (a drop of hot sauce, then slurp it out without your mouth touching the shell), I asked him about his grilled oysters Rockefeller, which I had heard about all over the Quarter. “Damn man, they is good, my neighbors and friends can’t git enough,” answers Hollywood, with his eyes just sparkling. So here it is—one of the best oysters Rockefeller I’ve ever had, and I think you will agree.

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and  finely diced
• One 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and pressed  to remove all the liquid
• 1/2 cup milk
• 36 Gulf Coast oysters, in shell
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 Tbs. plain dry breadcrumbs
• Lemon wedges, if desired

Light a charcoal fire or preheat your gas grill on high. Oil the grill’s cooking surface. Let the coals burn down to a medium-hot fire or adjust the gas grill burners to medium.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until you just smell it. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and milk,  and cook, stirring a few times, another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Shuck the oysters as if you were serving them on the half shell. Pour any liquor from the oysters into the spinach mixture. Place the oysters on a baking sheet. Add about 1 tablespoon of the spinach mixture to each oyster. (You may not use up all the spinach mixture.) Top with some cheese and breadcrumbs. Place the oysters on the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

 Remove the oysters to a platter and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Warm Oysters Bathed in Cream & Shallots

If you shuck the oysters and mince the shallots ahead of time, this dish takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, so it’s easy to serve as an appetizer to a big meal.

• 18 oysters
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. finely minced shallots
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Pinch kosher salt

With a thick towel, hold an oyster flat side up, pressing firmly against the work surface. Place the tip of an oyster knife in the "Achilles' heel" and then push and turn until you feel a snap.

Twist the knife fully to pry the shells farther apart. Slide the knife along the top of the shell, cutting the muscle.

Keep the shell level so you don't lose any flavorful juice. Cut themeat free from the bottom shell. Repeat with the remaining oysters.

Heat the oven to 450°F. Heat 1 Tbs. of the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots; sauté just until they become transparent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until reduced, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over very low heat.

Lay the oysters on the half-shell in a single layer on a baking sheet with edges. Put them in the hot oven just long enough to warm them, about 3 minutes. Transfer the oysters to a warm platter or individual plates.

Whisk the remaining 1 Tbs. butter into the shallot cream sauce. Spoon the sauce over the oysters and serve at once.

Verjus Sauce for Oysters

This variation on the classic mignonette sauce uses a white verjus in place of red-wine vinegar. Verjus, the unsweetened, unfermented juice of unripened wine grapes, gives the sauce a more mellow flavor. You can find verjus, which comes in red or white just like wine, at specialty grocery stores.

• 1 tsp. grapeseed or canola oil
• 2 Tbs. whole black peppercorns, preferably Tellicherry
• 1/4 tsp. salt, preferably sea salt
• 1 Tbs. finely minced fresh shallot
• 1 cup white verjus
• 2 Tbs. closely snipped fresh chives or chive blossoms

In a small, heavy-based skillet, heat the oil until very hot. Add the peppercorns, reduce the heat to medium low, and toast the peppercorns, swirling frequently, until aromatic, about 5 minutes. Pour the hot peppercorns onto a cutting board to cool. Using a blunt object (such as the bottom of a clean skillet or a meat mallet), crush the peppercorns coarsely but evenly. Put the crushed pepper into a nonreactive bowl and add the salt, shallot, and verjus. Stir well and then allow to steep for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator; the sauce will darken over time. Pour a little verjus sauce on the grilled oysters and garnish with the snipped chives.