2 pounds yellow-fleshed
potatoes, such as Yukon
Gold, peeled and cut in 2-
inch cubes
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 pound smoky bacon, cut
crosswise into 1/4-inch
pieces
1 shallot, minced
2 medium leeks, pale and
tender parts only, chopped
in 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/2 cup crème fraîche or
sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
1 tablespoon whole grain
mustard
Pinch of cayenne or
chipotle powder
1 1/2 pint oysters, shucked,
with juices
1 cup coarse dry bread
crumbs
1 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped
parsley, for garnish
Directions
Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until completely tender. Drain potatoes, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Return potatoes to pot, add 2 tablespoons butter and season generously with salt and pepper. Mash well, allow to cool and fold in egg yolks. Adding reserved cooking liquid as needed to thin a bit,
maybe a half cup or so.
Meanwhile, render the bacon: Put a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon. After a minute or so, when they begin to sizzle, turn heat to medium and stir them in pan to distribute evenly. Cook for a minute or two, letting bacon soften without browning. When it is just beginning to crisp, tip everything into a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to
drain. (Reserve the fat for step 3. Set bacon aside.
Put a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoons butter and bacon fat. Add leeks and shallot,
season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until wilted but still bright green, about 1 minute. Add reserved bacon, thyme, crème fraîche, heavy cream, mustard and Cayenne; bring to a simmer. Add oysters and oyster juices, cook 1 minute, then remove from heat. The mixture will be soupy.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Transfer oyster mixture to a low-sided casserole dish approximately 9 inches across. Carefully cover the surface with spoonfuls of mashed potatoes in an even layer. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan and dot with butter. Set pan on a baking sheet in case there’s overflow while cooking. Bake for about 40 minutes, until you can see the stew simmering at the edges and the top is beautifully browned. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.
