Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Angels on Horseback



This is one of my very favorite things for Christmas or New Year’s Eve.  I’m not saying that the night would be incomplete without them, but I will say it would not be the same celebration.  If you’ve been reading along for a while, you know that our family Christmas Eve menu is all appetizers.  You may not know that our New Year’s Eve menu is identical. 

I don’t know if it is because we have moved a lot (The moving guys were here to pack up our 500lbs of air freight today and the leader asked how many times we had moved.  “Twelve,” answered my dear husband – and all I could think was, “Really?!”  We’ve only been married 25 years – I guess I’ve never really wanted to count, although I can list the countries in succession for you.) but once we start a tradition, we have a hard time varying from it.  Traditions that remain constant no matter where we are, ground us and give a feeling of normalcy in a strange place.   Isn’t that why all the immigrants the world over, since time eternal, have tried to keep their traditions in a new and foreign land? 

Anyhoo, on to angels on horseback.  So easy, so simple, so rich, so delicious.  You don’t think you will like smoked oysters because you don’t eat raw ones?  Give this a chance.  They aren’t the same at all.  If you like salty, you will love these.  Especially with champagne. 

Ingredients
1 can or tin of smoked oysters, or more if you are making these for more than a few people
(Our most recent one had 13 oysters which made counting the bacon slices tricky, but, you’ll be glad to know, I managed the math.)
Half as many slices of smoked bacon as you have oysters
Toothpicks

Method
Preheat your oven to 400F or 200C.  

Cut the bacon slices in half.
Put one oyster on the end of a piece of bacon.  Roll up the bacon around the oyster.  Secure with a toothpick.



Bake for about 10 minutes in your preheated oven.  


Turn the angels over and bake for a further five minutes or until the bacon is crispy. 


Okay, stop counting.  Yes, I ate one before I took the final photo.  Do not judge me till you have made these and managed NOT to eat one before serving!  

Drain on a paper towel, then serve.  Enjoy!

P.S. These are also good cold, later Christmas Eve, when all the gifts have been wrapped and you are still drinking red wine and watching reruns on television.  True story.


7 comments :

  1. Mother made these for Christmas Eve. I cannot do cooked oysters, but at least two boys loved them! Sorry you were not here to enjoy them with us :( Love you!

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  2. Smoked oysters are soooo different from cooked oysters. I am not a fan of cooked ones either. I wish I had been there to eat them with you as well. Those boys are pure Livingston sometimes! Miss you all so much!

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  3. An idea...add small chunks of pepper jack cheese and a sliced jalapeno or banana pepper before wrapping in bacon. Marta, try shrimp instead of oysters...delicious!!!!

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  4. At Home with RebeckaDecember 9, 2012 at 1:02 PM

    I loved smoked oysters and have enjoyed this recipe on many occasions! Love your photo! Makes me want to make some right now! http://athomewithrebecka.com/holiday-recipe-exchange-and-linky-party/

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  5. Make some for Christmas Eve, Rebecka! They are wonderful and so simple to make. Thanks for the Christmas blog hop!

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