Instructions: This recipe, created by Dave Carlson, was the winner in an oyster-cooking competition held by the Louisiana Seafood Marketing Board and Dragos Restaurant. We had about fifty diners in the room that night, each of whom was served portions of the top three entrants in a contest that drew over a hundred recipes from my radio audience. The scores were very close (they really were-Im not just trying to make the others feel good), and this was the winner.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Coat an oval gratin dish (about 12 by 8 inches) with butter or oil.

2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the crushed red pepper, red onion and garlic and cook until the onion turns clear.

3. Add the sherry and bring to a boil for about a minute. Then add the thyme, salt and pepper, Tabasco, and cream. Return to a boil. Sprinkle in the flour and lightly whisk into the sauce.

4. Lower the heat and add the tomato, lemon juice, artichokes, oysters, and parsley. Agitate the pan to mix all the ingredients, then remove from the heat.

5. Pour the oyster mixture into the gratin dish. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, then Swiss cheese, and finally paprika.

6. Lower the oven to 375 degrees and bake the grain about 25 minutes, till it bubbles around the edges and the top is browned.

Serves four to eight.

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