The original Oyster Rockefeller recipe is said to be one of the most sought-after recipes in the world. It was created in 1889 at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine’s by Jules Alciatore, son of founder Antoine Alciatore. Jules developed the dish due to a shortage of escargot, substituting the locally available oysters. The recipe remains unchanged, with an estimated three and a half million orders having been served.
The famous dish consists of oysters on the half-shell topped with a green sauce and bread crumbs, then baked or broiled. Though the original sauce recipe is a secret, it includes a purée of several green vegetables, including spinach.
The dish was named Oysters Rockefeller after John D. Rockefeller, because the green was the color of greenbacks, and the whole dish was so rich that he wanted a name that would signify the “richest in the world.”
During one of our trips to the Oregon Coast, our friends have purchased some fresh oysters, and together we decided to prepare this dish. We had lots of sparkling wines to taste, so making Oyster Rockefeller seemed like a great idea.
We followed the recipe published by Food Network. Although we had the main ingredient – oysters, we had to substitute some others. For example, we did not have Pernod, and it would be hard to find it in any shop in Tillamook, where we stayed. However, we improvised and used granulated honey instead. Yep, there’s such a thing. Lucky for us, our friend had some handy.
In place of bread crumbs, we used crushed almond crackers. Instead of Champagne vinegar, we substituted with Red Wine Vinegar. The original oysters Rockefeller is said to have been made with watercress. Oh well, spinach had to do instead. Besides,, who was going to judge us?!
When everything was ready, it tasted fantastic! Since we never tried the original recipe, we felt it was an astounding success. Coincidentally, we created a perfect pairing for a couple of sparkling wines we had. Rockefellers tasted so good that we can recommend them with any Sparklings. Another intriguing pairing to try is Oregon white wines since both are from the same region.
So why Sparkling and Oysters Rockefeller taste well together?
Briny and creamy oysters profile complements acidity and lemon in sparkling wine. Salt and fat in cheese is a connecting element of this pairing. It helps to tame the umame taste of oysters and sourness of sparkling. That’s why Oysters Rockefeller is an excellent pair for Champagne and other sparkling wines.
So if you’re in the mood to feel like Rockefeller, pop a bubbly, Chablis, Sancerre or Chenin Blanc, and bake some oysters.