Oysters Casino

24 oysters – on the half shell
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 lemon
1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon pimiento, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
12 pieces bacon, half cooked
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Fill a baking pan large enough to hold all the oysters with a deep layer (1/4-inch) of rock salt. Embed the oysters, shell side down, into the rock salt.

Combine butter, shallots, parsley, green pepper and celery. Squeeze all the juice from the lemon into the mixture. Thoroughly cream the mixture.

Put a piece of the mixture on each oyster. Place 1/2 teaspoon of pimiento and a piece of bacon on top of the butter mixture on the oyster.

Bake until the bacon is browned and oysters are bubbling, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Serves 4