Oysters Rockefeller Bread Pudding
Yields: 10 Servings
 
Ingredients
  • 8 cups (1-inch) cubed French bread
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup chopped fennel
  • ¾ cup chopped yellow onion
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • ½ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons Pernod Anise
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 (8-ounce) containers oysters, shucked, drained, and quartered, if large (reserve oyster liquor)
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Place bread on prepared baking sheet. Add melted butter and 1 tablespoon minced garlic, tossing to combine. Toast until lightly browned and crisp, about 15 minutes.
  3. In a large Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add fennel, onion, celery, and remaining 3 tablespoons minced garlic; cook until vegetables have softened and released their liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in spinach, parsley, Pernod, ketchup, salt, Worcestershire, white pepper, and cayenne.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, and ½ cup reserved oyster liquor. (If not enough liquor, replace with more cream.) Add bread, vegetable mixture, oysters, and ½ cup Parmesan, gently stirring until combined and liquid is mostly absorbed. Spoon into prepared baking dish, and loosely cover with foil.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan, and bake, uncovered, until bread is lightly browned, cheese is melted, and pudding is firm to the touch, about 25 minutes more.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/oysters-rockefeller-bread-pudding/