Annual Oyster Dressing Roll Out

My parents are just now making their way home from Mexico so yet again it became my job to track down the holiday supply of Chincoteague oysters. Handicap being, I ain't near Chincateague no more. Fortunately, the nice man at Bon Ton Fish Market here in Greenwich had some shipped in just pour moi...

Like I said last year, and the year before that, if I were on death row, and requesting my last meal, at theee very top on the menu would be my family's oyster dressing. And, since we're mere days away from Thanksgiving, I thought I'd reshare the recipe in hopes of giving ya'll enough time to develop a game plan for acquiring your own top notch oysters...

*1 pint Chincoteague oysters, drained and chopped

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 cup chopped celery with leaves

1 cup butter

8-9 cups hand cubed soft bread crumbs (cheap loaves white bread works best)

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage leaves (I am very generous with the sage)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (and, equally as generous with the thyme)

In a large stock pot, cook and stir onion and celery in butter until onion is translucent and tender.

Turn off heat and stir in about half the amount of hand cubed bread crumbs. Turn into a deep bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss.

 Amount of bread cubes used will depend on how moist the oysters are so, add in stages.

Cook in a covered dish At 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*Be sure to use quality, salty oysters (preferably Chincoteague) otherwise it's just not as delish.

Kindness of Lolly, my forever helper, for never thinking any job, including stray celery catcher, too lowly for her...XXOO