New Orleans specialty (from
Antoine's) comprised of
oysters (of course), mild
cheese (or
cream),
absinthe (or equivalent) and
green stuff, quickly heated under a
broiler. The dish's name comes from its rich flavor and this last ingredient, which gives this dish its mystique.
What the green stuff is supposed to be is a mystery....waiters at Antoine's are instructed to reply that it's "a mixture of green vegetables...a house secret." Other restaurants in NoLa that serve this dish will give out a recipe that includes spinach. This is wrong, a piece of deliberate disinformation to make you return to order it again, with the remark "I've tried making it at home....but it's just not the same..."
Actually, it's parsley, with or without a bit of shallot or scallion for kick....supposedly, it was originally devised to thriftily use up garnish material in a seemly manner. Seaweed fanciers can experiment at liberty with this concept....