When I told my friend Chris Reid (Houston Foodie) that I was craving oysters, he insisted that the place to go for really good ones this time of year was a restaurant called Gilhouley’s in the small Gulf town of San Leon, Texas. Houston Press Food Critic Robb Walsh starts his book Sex, Death and Oysters writing about Galveston Bay oysters and features Gilhooley’s. Saveur Magazine also featured Gilhooley’s in an issue dedicated to Texas last year. I can’t say enough about just how delicious these oysters are. The house special, Oysters Gilhooley, is what makes me want to go back. These grilled oysters are served on tattered, beaten up, burnt trays and are cooked with a mixture of butter, parmesan cheese, garlic and Worcestershire, a combination that makes it an even tastier aphrodisiac. Can you think of anything better? I’ll let the photographs do the rest.
The cooks at Gilhooley’s in San Leon, Texas, grill their oysters with a parmesan butter mixture ; broiling them works too.
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. worcestershire
1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 1⁄2 tsp. Tabasco
12 oysters, shucked, on half shell
12 small shrimp, cooked and peeled
1⁄3 cup finely grated parmesan
Lemon slices, for serving
1. Heat oven to broil; place a rack 3″ from heating element. In a food processor, pulse butter, worcestershire, garlic, and Tabasco until smooth.
2. Arrange oysters on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top each oyster with a shrimp and some of the butter mixture; sprinkle with parmesan. Broil until oysters just curl, about 5 minutes. Serve with lemon slices.
MAKES 12 OYSTERS
recipe courtesy Gilhooley’s via Saveur.com
Gorgeous photos. Now I want oysters.
those oysters are photography heaven with all that texture, color and deliciousness. beautiful.
OMG that’s making me so hungry! Really love the shots, awesome texture. Thanks for sharing the recipe too!
We made these tonight and loved them! Great with a crusty baguette to soak up all the butter sauce on the baking sheet. Can’t wait to try this with some really fresh oysters – needed more than what we could scroung up , which was only 8.
So good!
These look amazing. Love oysters – grilled and raw. It seems like one could use raw shrimp, though. Five minutes under the broiler (or on a hot grill) should be more than enough time to cook them through. I’ll have to give that a shot. Research, you know.
Gorgeous photos, natch.
oysters have never looked so good!!!
Oysters are damn sexy and that is a fact.
sexy seafood photos!
thanks for that
As always your photos are a work of art.
Fabulous combination of flavors and awesome photos!
Oysters. Story telling. Eating. People. Recipes. Yum.
Thank you!
Eric
I’m craving oysters now! Great post!
Penny, Chris and bunch of other Houston foodies were talking about you last Saturday. Gilhoolies is a treasure and your wonderful images capture the visual essence perfectly.
The photos are indeed superb. To truly know this place you must visit. San Leon is known as a little fishing village with a big drinking problem. Probably why the coined the phrase “FEMA Cantina” after the last big hurricane. No kiddos allowed at Gillhooly’s.
What beautiful pictures of the oysters! And such a nice and different recipe idea, I think these would be perfect at a dinner party as a starter or canape.
It’s not even lunchtime here and I think I could happily eat my way through a few!
Mrs P x
Beautiful Site! GORGEOUS sexy oysters…Oh, I MUST have them!
Finally made it to Gilhooleys last weekend….so good! and so fun! met some fun locals and had excellent grilled oysters. Thanks!
Headed there tomorrow for some great food I am sure. Will miss having our dear friend Jack Naley with us. He died a year ago, but loved Gilhooley’s, as do we. We even bought two sacks of raw oysters about two years ago and duplicated their/Drago’s/Deanies/Acme’s oysters for many of our friends at Lake Somerville, TX., including Jack, for one last time as his health waned. Can’t wait!
I have to go back to work for my school district Monday so won’t have any other opportunities to play this winter!
Have a great New Years!