Oysters Rockefeller

THESE easy finger-food recipes boast bright, fresh flavours that will leave your party guests satisfied.

THESE easy finger-food recipes boast bright, fresh flavours that will leave your party guests satisfied.

Combine them with other simple ideas such as quartered fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto or freshly cooked popcorn sprinkled with parmesan. Leaves from small lettuce such as Little Gem or baby Cos make perfect edible wraps. For the Vietnamese rolls, look for rice-paper discs that in the packet are stiff and brittle, a bit like a translucent poppadom; after soaking they become soft, but don't have the water too hot or they'll tear. Adding a cooked, peeled prawn to each roll is a tasty variation.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER
12 fresh oysters, in the half-shell
100g unsalted butter, plus a little extra for finishing
3 rashers bacon, chopped
2 eshallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
100g fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
A splash of Pernod
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (freshly made from day old bread)

Cover and chill oysters, keeping them in their juices. Melt butter over medium heat and fry bacon, eshallots, garlic, celery and parsley for two minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Pour in Pernod. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a drop or two of Tabasco sauce, if desired. Set aside to cool. When ready to serve, place a spoonful of mixture onto each oyster. Sprinkle each with breadcrumbs and top with a small dot of butter. Place oysters under a hot grill for about 3 minutes. Makes 12

And to drink ...
Oysters with stout is one of those flavour combos that rocks your world. One of the best stouts I've tried is the Ace of Spades ($3.50) from Adelaide's Brewboys: really dark, rich and full of strong espresso-like characters. - Max Allen