Southern Oyster Casserole
2 quarts oysters
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter
3 whole scallions, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Preheat the broiler. Grease a 9x13−inch ovenproof serving dish or spray it
with nonstick spray. Drain the oysters and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of
the butter in a heavy casserole. Add the scallions and pepper and saute
until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and oysters and
saute for 5 minutes. In a separate pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the remaining
butter. Stir in the flour. When smooth, add the cream, and stir until
boiling and thick. Add the cheese. Stir this cheese sauce into the oyster
mixture and season with nutmeg, paprika, salt, and pepper. The casserole may
be made ahead to this point and refrigerated overnight.
Return it to simmer on top of the stove before proceeding. Pour the mixture
into the prepared dish and top with the bread crumbs and dot with the
remaining butter. Place under the broiler until browned and bubbling −
about 10 minutes, depending on the depth of the casserole.