Recipe(tried): Oyster Stuffings for Pat/AR

Here are a couple of Oyster Stuffings, Pat -- hope they'll help you. Keep in mind that one of the judging criteria (besides things like taste, originality, ease) is 'predominance of oysters'! So I really think many of the recipes from the cook off could easily be made with fewer oysters! Especially for those of us living ouside the area where the price is rather dear!

OYSTER DRESSING
2 large stalks celery
1 medium onion
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon lemon and pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon tarragon
1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 pint oysters with their liquor
8 slices day-old bread, cubed

Finely chop celery and onions. Saute in butter or margarine until tender. Mix in seasonings. Add oystera with liquor and simmer until edges begin just to curl. Remove from heat and gently mix in bread crumbs. Adjust the moistness with water as desired. Makes 4 cups dressing (Allow about 1/2 cup per pound for fish and 1 cup per pound for poultry). This recipe was a 1st place winner at the first oyster cook off in 1980 ... the woman was an elderly 'local' woman and the dressing was delicious. However, I don't think she was too explicit re 'how to's' -- do you chop the oysters? How long do you bake? etc. But I did taste it and it was good. (I think she chopped them but not really fine.)

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I cooked in the STUFFING category in 1991 and came in 1st with

OYSTER 'N ZUCCHINI STUFFING
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 cups zucchini, chopped*
1-1/2 pints oysters and their liquor
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoonlemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 cups whole wheat bread cubes

In large skillet melt butter; add celery and onions and saute until tender. Add zucchini and saute 2 minutes longer. Add oysers with about one-half of their liquor (reserve remaining liquor). Simmer just until edges of oysters begin to curl. Remove from heat. Add seasonings, mixing well. Fold in bread crumbs; if too dry, add more of the reserved oyster liquor.

This is enough stuffing for a small turkey or two-broler-fryer chickens. Stuffingmay be placed in greased baking dish and baked in 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes.

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In '92 this was the 1st place winner in the Stuffing Category:
OYSTER STUFFING:
16 oz oysters, drained and coarsely chopped
5 cups bread cubes
4 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth or 1/2 cup water with one chicken bouilion cube

Directions:
Saute onions and celery in butter about 5 minutes. In large bowl, gentlhy mix bread cubes, oysters and eggs. Sir the seasonings and broth into the onion and celery; bring to a boil. Pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients and toss until moistened. Place in 1-1/2 quart baking dish. bake, uncovered, in 350 degree F oven 25 to 30 minutes or until heated throughout.
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Oh ... I had the * after my zucchini. It was to indicate that if you had those HUGE zucchinis to not use the middle seedy part - and if they are very moist - you can drain them first.
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They stopped the Stuffing category after the 3rd year and added 'Outdoor' - then a few years later they made it "outdoor and/or salad'. A few years ago, one of the main dish winners (another from the St. Mary's county area ofMd) had a main dish called ST.MARY'S STUFFED OYSTERS - one of the specialities in the area is a ham (similar to Smithfield) that has big slits cut in it - and the slits are filled with kale and a mixture similar to pickling spices) - well this gal used some of these ingredients with her oysters and put the stuffing in oyster shells. It was very good ... but the taste of kale and pickling spices .. is not for everyone.

I think I've discovered in the years we've been going to this festival - that the stuffing or bread you use for it -- is a BIG plus or minus. I would recommend a good bread - whether white, sourdough, Italian, whole wheat or whatever, And I've discovered that I can do the sauteeing of onions and whatever about 2 or 3 days in advance - and then refrigerate ... and simply reheat when I'm ready to make a stuffing. Also, now that freshy herbs, etc. are more available and popular, I think they make a diffrence too. And I'm a big convert to Old Bays seasonings.

Hope this helped you a bit, Pat ... if you have any other questions - ask. And to think I had only ever eaten oysters 2 times when I first entered this contest - -Ha.