Oyster and Mushroom Cups

The actual name of this recipe in the Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook is Oysters in the Patty Shell. However, I frankly have no idea what a patty shell is; so henceforward I will call it Oyster and Mushroom Cups. They are so delicious! I used fresh oysters in a jar that the seafood department at Ralph's had in stock. They were from California, so I felt pretty confident in their freshness. They were a vast improvement over my attempt at using canned oysters.

I definitely recommend this recipe. Between the mushrooms and the oysters, it has this great earthy flavor. I have a tip as well. I would not try to chop oysters in a food processor. It's all fun and games until you end up with oyster paste.

Since I don't know what patty shells are, I used some pre-baked phyllo dough cups that were on sale at Ralph's for $1 a pack. Since the recipe calls for a 3-inch shell, I needed a lot more cups than the 8 that the recipe suggests. On the side is just some lettuce with a honey mustard dressing that I made earlier that day. The dressing is okay, but not spectacular.

Oyster and Mushroom Cups

1/2 pound mushrooms chopped (I used a mix of white button and cremini)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery salt (I don't have celery salt, so I used some seasoned salt)
Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup shelled fresh oysters, drained and chopped
Eight 1-ounce prebaked mini-piecrusts or patty shells, approximately 3 inches in size
Fresh parsley for garnish (I also used some shredded parmesan instead of parsley)

Saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Blend in flour and cook until bubbly. Gradually add milk; cook until smooth and thickened, stirring constantly. Add salt, celery salt, pepper, lemon juice, and oysters. Cook over medium-low heat until oysters start to curl up (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Serve in mini piecrusts or patty shells. If desired, garnish with parsley.