Oysters baked with garlic pine nut butter

18 oysters

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
¼cupPine nuts
3Garlic cloves; peeled
2Shallots; peeled
2tablespoonsParsley, fresh; chopped
2tablespoonsChives, fresh; chopped
2tablespoonsJuice, lemon
1tablespoonBrandy
1teaspoonPepper, black
¾cupButter; room temperature
18Oysters; in shells, scrubbed
Rock salt

Directions

Scatter pine nuts in a pie plate nd bake in a 350 degree oven until golden, 4-6 minutes. Pour toasted nuts into a food processor along with the garlic, shallots, parsley, chives, lemon juice, brandy and pepper; whirl until finely chopped. Slowly add the butter and pulse until just blended; bits of all the ingredients should still be visible. Shuck oysters and discard top shells. Nestle oysters, in their bottom shells, in a ½ inch layer of rock salt in a baking pan or shallow oven-proof dish. Spoon about 1 teaspoon butter on top of each oyster (freeze leftover butter) Bake oysters in a 375 degree oven until they become firm and butter melts, 8-10 minutes.