In short: Shucked and drained oysters, lifted with a touch of shallot and topped with a thin slice of raclette, then broiled for two minutes in the oven or in a raclette pan. A surprising surf-and-turf appetizer, ready in 25 minutes.
📲 The video that inspired this recipe
Chef’s tip
Putting an oyster under cheese is a bit like inviting a sailor to a shepherds’ ball: on paper, nobody believes in it, and then they dance until two in the morning. The secret comes down to one word: restraint. A thin slice, a lightning-fast cook, and the oyster keeps its texture while taking on a gentle warmth that softens its brininess.
In the kitchen you learn fast that a cooked oyster is unforgiving: thirty seconds too long and it turns into a rubber eraser. So stay in front of the oven, phone put away. And plan on a glove for the shucking: we want guests talking about the recipe the next day, not about your stitches.
| Prep time | 20 min |
|---|---|
| Cook time | 5 min |
| Total | 25 min |
| Servings | 4 people (6 oysters each) (adjustable) |
| Difficulty | Easy (shucking takes a bit of practice) |
Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 24 cupped oysters, size 3
- 200 g raw-milk raclette cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Coarse salt to steady the oysters
- 1 lemon to serve
Preparation
- Open the oysters with an oyster knife and a protective glove, detach the meat and discard the first liquid.
- Finely chop the shallot and cook it for 3 minutes in the butter over low heat, without browning.
- Preheat the oven broiler to 240 °C (465 °F) and spread a layer of coarse salt on a baking sheet to hold the oysters upright.
- Place half a teaspoon of the cooked shallot on each oyster, add a turn of the pepper mill, then cover with a piece of raclette the size of the shell.
- Slide under the broiler for about 2 minutes, until the cheese melts and starts to turn golden at the edges.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve right away with lemon wedges.
Chef’s tips
- Shuck the oysters at the last moment and drain them well: the seawater would make the cheese runny.
- Cut the cheese into pieces just slightly smaller than the shell; it should blanket the oyster without overflowing.
- In the raclette grill’s pans, count one shucked oyster per pan and 1 to 2 minutes of cooking.
- If shucking intimidates you, ask your fishmonger to open them and hand them back on ice, to be cooked within the hour.
Variations
- Bacon version: a few diced pieces of smoked bacon, grilled on top of the cheese, for lovers of contrasts.
- Herbal version: replace the parsley with a little wild garlic or tarragon.
- Milder version: use a young raclette or a lightly aged Savoie cheese for palates sensitive to iodine notes.
Which wine to serve?
A dry, lively white bridges the sea and the cheese: a Picpoul de Pinet, a Jacquère from Savoie or a Chasselas from Valais. Avoid oaked whites and reds, which would give the oyster a metallic taste.
Frequently asked questions
Can you prepare the baked oysters in advance?
You can shuck the oysters and prepare the shallot an hour ahead, keeping everything chilled, but the cooking happens at the last moment.
Which oysters should you choose?
Plump cupped oysters of size 3, big enough to withstand the heat without disappearing under the cheese.
Can you use frozen oysters?
Fresh, live oysters are better: their texture and flavor stand up better to cooking.
Read also: Raclette with oysters: the surf-and-turf pairing that divides opinion
