Oysters Rockefeller

Rock salt
12 medium oysters in shells
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons snipped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen spinach, partially thawed drained
1/8 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 drops red pepper sauce
1 dash ground anise


Fill three pie plates, 9x 1 1/4 inches, 1/2 inch deep with rock salt; sprinkle with water. Scrub oysters in shells under running cold water. Break off thin end of shell with hammer. Force a table knife or shucking knife between halves of the shell at broken end; pull apart. Cut oyster at muscle to separate from shell. Remove any bits of shell. Place oyster on deep half of shell; discard other half arrange filled shells on rock salt base. Heat oven to 450. Cook and stir onion, parsley and celery in margarine until onion is tender. Mix in remaining ingredients. Spoon about 1 tablespoon spinach mixture onto oyster in each shell. Bake for 10 minutes.