Chef John’s Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients

• 2 cups rock salt, or more as needed
• 1 cup chopped watercress
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons minced green onion (white and pale green parts only)
• 2 tablespoons chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons anise-flavored liqueur (such as Pernod)
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 36 oysters on the half shell

Directions

Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Pour rock salt into a large, shallow casserole dish.

Combine watercress, butter, bread crumbs, green onions, celery, tarragon, Italian parsley, anise-flavored liqueur, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a food processor; blend until smooth.

Place 8 to 12 shucked oysters on top of the rock salt. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of watercress mixture a top each oyster.

Bake in the preheated oven until oysters are firm and butter has melted, about 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining oysters.