Oyster Artichoke Casserole

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a shallow 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of butter.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the green onions and garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with some of the salt, and sauté until they give off their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the oysters and their liquor, the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook until the oysters just start to curl and are no longer opaque, and the liquor starts to evaporate, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the oysters using a slotted spoon and reserve separately. Continue to cook the liquid until it has thickened, then stir in the parsley and remove from the heat.

In a separate pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Saute the artichoke hearts until just warmed through. Remove from the heat and spread in an even layer to completely cover the bottom of the casserole.

In a separate pan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high. Add the flour and stir constantly until thick, 2 minutes. Add the cream, and bring to a boil. Cook until thick and any floury taste is gone, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved oyster lcooking liquid and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and add the oysters, stirring gently to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Pour the mixture into the casserole on top of the artichoke hearts.

Sprinkle the seasoned bread crumbs over the top of the casserole, and top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is bubbly and has a golden crust, 15 to 25 minutes. (If necessary, broil briefly to brown the top evenly.) Serve hot over pasta, with toast points, or in baked vol-au-vents.