In New York, as in most North American cities these days, oysters are relatively plentiful, whether they’re harvested locally or flown in from afar. Open space for lighting bonfires, however, is in decidedly short supply, so we set about adapting the oyster roast’s winning combination of extreme informality and indulgence to a city setting.

Ingredients

  • 100 to 120 unshucked oysters, scrubbed clean
  • 6 small lemons, cut into wedges
  • Tabasco, or other pepper sauce
  • Sour orange mignonette (see recipe)

    8 servings

    Preparation

    1. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Working in batches, arrange oysters in a single layer in a 12-by-16-inch roasting pan fitted with a flat rack. Pour 1/3. inch of hot tap water into pan, and bake for 7 minutes, or until oyster shells have begun to open.
    2. Using gloves or tongs, transfer oysters to a table covered in newspaper for guests to shuck, garnish and eat while next batch cooks. Add water to pan as necessary, and repeat roasting until all oysters have been served, about 45 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges hot sauce, and sour orange mignonette.

    45 minutes

    Dining and Cooking