HOLIDAY BAKED OYSTERS

HOLIDAY BAKED OYSTERS
Categories: Seafood, Holiday
Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
4 c Firm white bread (Italian or
-French or sourdough)
1/2 c Butter
Salt and cayenne pepper
1 pt Raw oysters, well-drained
1 tb Lemon juice
1 sm Onion, grated
1/2 c Whipping cream

paprika (TIP:) This dish can be made with oysters of *any* size. While
fresh ones ARE best, thawed, frozen oysters *may* be used. If you
wish, prepare the dish and refrigerate it for several hours before
baking. Or, on the other hand, you can cut and brown the bread
cubes ahead of time. The rest can be finished in minutes, once the
bread is browned.

Remove the crusts from the bread. Cut the bread into quarter-inch
cubes; in a large skillet, melt half the butter. Add 2 cups of bread
cubes and toss over LOW HEAT until they're golden-brown. Sprinkle
the cubes lightly with salt and caynne, stirring constantly.

Brown the remaining cubes in the remaining butter. Sprinkle again
with the cayenne and the salt.

Cover the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish with 1/3 of the bread
cubes; top the bread evenly with half the oysters, sprinkle with
salt and cayenne, half the lemon juice and half the onion. Cover
with 1/3 of the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt, cayenne, the
rest of the lemon juice and the onion. Pour in the cream, and top
with the last third of the bread cubes. Sprinkle with paprika to
make pretty.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes and serve *immediately*.