Chesapeake Oysters Baked with Chorizo & Spinach

Baked Chesapeake Oysters with Chorizo and Spinach over Pear Salad with Meyer Lemon

Baked Chesapeake Oysters w/ Chorizo & Spinach over Pear Salad

Baked Chesapeake Oysters & Chorizo and Spinach over Pear Salad with Meyer Lemon.

Pair rich, savory Chesapeake Oysters & Chorizo with crisp, fresh Pear & Meyer Lemon for a contrasting, yet complimenting explosion of  deliciousness!

Baked Chesapeake Oysters w/ Chorizo & Spinach over Pear Salad

Serves: 6 as a small plate.

Ingredients:

6 links uncooked Mexican Chorizo about 10 oz.
Olive oil as needed
1/2 medium chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese
2 cups cooked, well-drained spinach, about 1 lb. fresh
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 shucked Chesapeake Oysters

NBS Seafood My Favorite Fish Monger

Directions:

•  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove Chorizo from casings, and saute’ in a little olive oil till cooked through. Let cool & drain on paper towel
• In a skillet over medium heat, saute’ onions and garlic in a little olive oil till soft & fragrant. Cool mixture.
• Add the onions, and garlic to the chorizo, and grind in a food processor until smooth.
• Combine bread crumbs and cheese in a small bowl. Chop cooked spinach, and add all but 1/3 of the cheese-bread crumb mixture.
• Season the chorizo spinach mixture with salt and pepper to taste .
• Liberally grease a ceramic baking pan approximately 9″ x 11″. Layer the chorizo-spinach mixture evenly on the bottom of the greased baking pan. Place 3 oysters in 6 separate clusters evenly spaced on the Chorizo mixture. Top with reserved cheese-bread crumb mixture. Bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Let sit about 5 minutes, and use a large biscuit cutter and a spatula to make serving size pieces.
• Serve atop a round serving of Pear Salad with Meyer Lemon. Recipe below.

Pear Salad with Meyer Lemon

Ingredients:

2 very large pears diced

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup mayonnaise

juice of 1 small Meyer Lemon

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon salt

• Wash & dice pears. Toss with Meyer Lemon juice
• Add the rest of the ingredients
• Toss to mix well & chill till serving time

To Plate: Place a round of Pear Salad in the center of a small plate. Top with a slightly smaller round of Baked Chesapeake Oysters w/ Chorizo & Spinach. Garnish with a slice of Meyer Lemon and serve!

Meyer Lemon Facts