Broiled Oysters with Parmesan and Lemon Zest with Samantha Ferraro of The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Recipe by Samantha Ferraro of The Little Ferraro Kitchen

"Recipes cooked with local ingredients from fishermen I have personally met is a true highlight," beams Samantha. Bellingham local, author of The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen, and founder of the food blog, The Little Ferraro Kitchen, Samantha's recipes have been featured in PBS Food, The Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Babble, Yummly, and The Washington Post.

Ingredients

• 4-6 oysters

• 4 Tbsp butter, softened

• 1-2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped

• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped + more for garnish

• 6 pieces cooked bacon, chopped

• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

• ½ lemon, zested

• Rock salt

Directions

For the compound butter, add the softened butter to a bowl along with the grated garlic and chopped parsley and stir to combine well. Roll the butter up in wax paper or plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to use. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Scatter rock salt onto the bottom of a 10–12-inch cast iron skillet. 

Shuck the oysters and nestle the top-off oysters, onto the rock salt. 

Top each oyster with 1 teaspoon of compound butter, bacon and a grating of Parmesan cheese.

Place the oysters in the pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes until the oysters are plump and the butter has melted. Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped parsley and fresh lemon zest.