Created at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans in the late 19th century, Oysters Rockefeller was named after the Rockefeller family due to the richness of its sauce and proved to be an instant classic, quickly finding its way onto menus and at lavish parties across the country. For over 125 years, Oysters Rockefeller has stood the test of time and while the original recipe remains a closely guarded secret, the dish is a staple at seafood restaurants and oyster bars to this day. With Mardi Gras just around the corner, this indulgent dish is the perfect appetizer to celebrate the season, and Executive Chef Jason Hughes shares a version of the Atlas Oyster House recipe for Oysters Rockefeller below for us to try at home!

Established in 2002, and fully remodeled in 2023, Atlas Oyster House is a beloved destination for locals and visitors alike seeking the highest quality fresh oysters. Nestled on the picturesque Pensacola Bay, Atlas offers an elevated dining experience with stunning views, expertly crafted food and drinks, and memorable service. Oysters sourced from nearby East Bay to the Pacific coast are harvested and delivered fresh each day for service.

Executive Chef Jason Hughes grew up along the Gulf Coast, with formative years in Mobile and Daphne, AL, and Gulf Breeze, FL. From his first job as a line cook and dishwasher at age 16, he was attracted to the challenges of competition, teamwork, and the ever-changing dynamics of the restaurant industry. After three-years working at a downtown bakery-café in Boston, Chef Jason returned to the Gulf Coast in 2009 where he worked at Stinky’s Fish Camp as sous-chef (Santa Rosa Beach) and chef de cuisine (Navarre) before accepting his first executive chef position at The Club at Hidden Creek in Navarre at age 27.

In 2015, Chef Jason started as chef de cuisine at The Fish House, Atlas’s sister restaurant located steps away on Pensacola Bay and returned in 2022 following five years as executive chef at The Grand Marlin in Pensacola Beach. After working in restaurants along the Gulf Coast from Orange Beach to 30A, Chef Jason was drawn to Pensacola’s vibrant downtown atmosphere and the growing culinary scene home to many talented chefs. He lives in Pensacola with his wife and three sons, and feels privileged to showcase the area’s bounty of fresh, local seafood and produce every day at Atlas Oyster House.

Oysters Rockefeller: Atlas Oyster House & Executive Chef Jason Hughes

• 2 ½ pounds fresh spinach
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ pound thick-cut bacon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
• ½ cup Pernod (or other anise-flavored pastis or liqueur such as Ricard or Sambuca)
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 quart heavy cream
• ½ pound shredded Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan, if preferred)
• 2 tablespoons Crystal hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 12 Gulf Coast oysters, shucked (View Chef Jason Hughes step-by-step Oyster Shucking Guide)
• Hollandaise Sauce (recipe to follow)
• Lemon wedges for garnish

Rockefeller Topping:

Dice bacon into small pieces (this step is made much easier by slightly freezing the bacon ahead of time). Render the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until very crispy. Melt butter in the saucepan with bacon and drippings, then add onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent, then deglaze with Pernod. Cook until the Pernod reduces and is nearly cooked away, then stir in flour to make a blonde roux.

As soon as the flour is all incorporated, slowly add approximately one third of the heavy cream, stirring well and allowing the mixture to thicken between each addition. Repeat two more times until all the cream is incorporated. Adding the cream and allowing the sauce to come up in about three additions will help prevent any lumps in the mix. Once all the cream is incorporated, bring mixture to a low simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and allow to cook for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

While the cream is simmering, toss all the spinach in a large mixing bowl with the baking soda. This will help preserve the bright green color of the spinach as it cooks. This is also an excellent time to make your hollandaise sauce if assembling / serving the dish within 4 hours.

Once the cream sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, add the Pecorino Romano cheese and Crystal hot sauce to the pan.  Stir and cook until the cheese is all melted, then begin adding spinach. Add spinach gradually, stirring to fully incorporate in the cream sauce and adding more as each addition wilts down. When all spinach is in the pan and cooked a few minutes until tender, season with salt and white pepper. Check for seasoning and remove from heat. Allow the Rockefeller topping to cool to room temperature before assembling.

The Rockefeller topping can be made ahead of time and stored for up to two days in the refrigerator. If stored in the refrigerator, allow the topping to come to temperature on the counter while shucking the oysters and making the hollandaise sauce.

Oysters Rockefeller Assembly:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. To prepare oysters Rockefeller, shuck a dozen raw oysters (view Chef Jason Hughes' step-by-step Oyster Shucking Guide) and arrange on a baking tray or sheet pan. Top each oyster with about a tablespoon (more or less, depending on the size of the oyster) of cooled Rockefeller topping. Top each Rockefeller oyster with a dollop of hollandaise, then bake in a 400ºF oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the hollandaise is golden brown and the oysters begin to plump and their edges curl.

‍Hollandaise Sauce:

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine
• 1 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• Pinch white pepper
• 1 pound butter, clarified

To clarify the pound of butter, melt gently in a small saucepan over medium heat, skim off and discard the white foam that rises to the surface, reserving the golden butter fat and milky liquid that settles to the bottom. Reserve until the necessary step.

Set a sauce pan of water over medium-low heat until it reaches a low simmer. Choose a mixing bowl that will fit over the pan of water like a double boiler, but do not heat until the following step. In the mixing bowl, whip egg yolks with a piano whisk until they turn pale yellow and begin to thicken. Add all remaining ingredients except butter and whisk together.

Place the mixing over the pan of simmering water, whipping the egg mixture constantly. Be careful not to let the water get too hot or to stop mixing, or the eggs will overcook. The egg mixture is finished cooking when it reaches “ribbon stage” -- it will leave a distinct trail or “ribbons” on the surface of the mixture for a few moments when you drizzle it over itself.

Remove the cooked egg mixture from the heat and slowly begin to stream in the yellow butter fat from the clarified butter while whisking constantly, as though you were making a vinaigrette. Continue slowly adding butter and whisking until the mixture is thick, being careful not to go too fast and to only mix in the yellow butter fat. When most of the clarified butter is incorporated, the mixture will probably be too thick.

Gradually add the milky liquid from the bottom of the clarified butter (this is mostly water, but there will still be a bit of butter fat that will help with flavor and mouthfeel of the sauce) while whisking until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. Hollandaise should not be watery, but also not thick and gloopy. It should coat the back of a spoon, but still be able to flow from the spoon. When the desired consistency is reached, adjust the seasoning if necessary and store in a warm area for up to 4 hours. The sauce must be disposed of after this time.