Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup diced fennel
Pinch salt
2 cups chopped, loosely packed spinach
1 small leek, white and green parts, chopped
2 tablespoons Pernod
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
12 oysters on the half shell
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the fennel and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the edges start to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach, leek, and salt and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, until the spinach is wilted. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the Pernod, and cook for 1 minute, until the liquid has bubbled away. Transfer the spinach mixture to a bowl and let come to room temperature.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese and the panko.

4. Line a baking sheet with a layer of lightly crumpled foil. Arrange the oysters on the foil, bringing the foil up and around the bottoms of the shells to keep them upright. Top the oysters with the spinach mixture, followed by the cheese mixture.  Bake in the upper third of oven until browned on the tops, about 10–12 minutes.

5. Serve on pretty plates with the lemon wedges on the side.