Southern Oyster Casserole

Southern Oyster Casserole

2 quarts oysters
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter
3 whole scallions, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated imported Parmesan cheese
Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat the broiler. Grease a 9x13−inch ovenproof serving dish or
spray it with nonstick spray.
Drain the oysters and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in
a heavy casserole. Add the scallions and pepper and saute until the
onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and oysters and
saute for 5 minutes. In a separate pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the
remaining butter. Stir in the flour. When smooth, add the cream, and
stir until boiling and thick. Add the cheese. Stir this cheese sauce
into the oyster mixture and season with nutmeg, paprika, salt, and
pepper. The casserole may be made ahead to this point and refrigerated
overnight. Return it to the simmer on top of the stove before
proceeding.
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and top with the bread crumbs
and dot with the remaining butter. Place under the broiler until
browned and bubbling—about 10 minutes, depending on the depth of the
casserole. Makes 10 to 20 servings as a starter.