This is one of my Dad’s signature dishes, the one he rolls out when he wants to impress. And believe me, these decadent cheesy fresh oyster pies can’t help but impress your lunch guests! They are so more-ish I would definitely double up the quantity.
This recipe will make 4 individual Oyster pies.
Ingredients
1 Jar of 10-12 fresh oysters in sea water
25gm butter
20gm mature cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp fish sauce
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
50gm cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 the oyster water from the jar. Approx 50ml.
1 tsp finely chopped lemongrass
2 sheets of frozen puff pastry
How to make it
Place butter, cheddar, garlic, fish sauce and pepper in a saucepan and cook on medium heat until golden in colour. Don’t be concerned if it sticks to the pan as it will dissolve when the milk is added.
Sprinkle the flour over the cheese sauce and continue to cook without stirring for 1 minute before mixing into a gooey mess.
Reduce the heat to low and add the cream cheese, milk, oyster WATER (not the oysters) and lemongrass. Stir, scrape and mash (perhaps with a potato masher) the mixture until it thickens which will not begin to happen until it nears boiling point.
Remove the thick cheese sauce from the heat and refrigerate until cold. This is important so as not to overcook the oysters at the pie assembly stage.
Pre-heat the oven to 220 deg C.
Generously grease 4 large muffin tins. Defrost the pastry and line the floor and walls of the tins and cut 4 slightly over sized circles of pastry for the lids.
Using half of the cold cheese sauce, spoon into the bottom of the 4 pie cases.
Drain the oysters, gently place them atop the bottom layer of cheese sauce, dividing evenly amongst the 4 pies.
Spoon the remaining cheese sauce over the oysters to within approximately 1cm from the top edge of the pie tin.
Lay the pastry lids on the top and seal the pie closed by pinching with your fingers or press with the tines of a fork. Pierce the lid with a bamboo skewer a few times to let the steam escape while baking.
Bake in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes.
Serve immediately with a fresh citrus dressed salad and a crisp white wine.
With love from,
My Dad, Gerry and Mrs. Frost’s Kitchen xx