Oysters Cotija

© Chef LaLa

According to common wisdom, almost any kind of seafood could act as an aphrodisiac.  Lobster, crab and oysters or sole should work equally well as long as they are expensive.  Casanova is said to have been a firm believer in oysters, eating 50 of them raw every morning in the bath together with the lady he fancied at that moment.

Oysters Cotija Recipe

Nutritional Facts

• Calories, 60

• Fat, 3.7g   Saturated, 2g   monounsaturated, 1g  polyunsaturated, .7g

• Protein, 2.5g

• Carbohydrates, 4g  Dietary Fiber, .3g

• Cholesterol, 15mg

• Sodium, 134mg

*per serving

Ingredients

• 12 oysters, shucked and on the half shell

• 2 slices bacon, cut into 12 (1-inch) pieces

• ½ cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/8 teaspoon ground árbol chiles or paprika

• 1 ounce cotija, Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, minced (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place shells with oysters on baking sheet. Top each oyster with 1 piece bacon. Bake 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

2. Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs, butter, garlic powder and ground chile in small bowl. Spoon mixture over oysters; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Servings

Makes 12 appetizers.

Chef’s Note: Oysters are a well balanced food because they contain protein, carbohydrates, and lipids, and are a good source of vitamins A, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C (ascorbic acid) and D (calciferol). 4 or 5 oysters supply the recommended daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus. Applewood bacon works well in this recipe.

This recipe and many others from Chef LaLa’s Chef LaLa presents Best-Loved Mexican