Broiled Oysters with Chile Butter

“These oysters will hit the table first, and they’ll also be around as people are cooking and catching up,” says the chef Andy Ticer, who grew up in Memphis with his business partner, the chef Michael Hudman. The two own Hog & Hominy and Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen in Memphis, and have hosted a feast everywhere they’ve cooked (at school in Charleston, South Carolina, and at Josephine Estelle, which they opened in the Ace Hotel New Orleans).

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Ingredients

1 dozen or more oysters
Grated Parmesan, to garnish

For the Chile Butter:

1 lb. butter (4 sticks), room temperature
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 lemon, zest and juice
¼ bunch fresh parsley
¼ tbsp. oregano
1 tsp. chile flake
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 oz. Frank's hot sauce (“Any favorite hot sauce can work, but we like Frank's.”)

Preparation

Place butter and remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, combine the ingredients until thoroughly mixed into butter. Set in the refrigerator to cool.

While the butter cools, preheat oven to broil with the rack at the highest point in the oven.

Shuck the oysters, being sure to detach meat from the bottom shell. On a sheet tray, crinkle aluminum foil so when you place the oysters on it, they will remain face up and the contents will not spill.

Place oysters on the aluminum foil. Add about 1 tsp. chile butter to each oyster, depending on their size. Dust the oysters with Parmesan cheese and place in oven for two minutes. Remove oysters and serve immediately.

NOTE: The butter freezes well. Wrap it tightly in plastic and store for future use in other recipes.