| 1 | Paprika (tip:) this dish can be made with oysters of *any* size. |
| 2 | While fresh ones are best, thawed, frozen oysters *may* be used. |
| 3 | If you wish, prepare the dish and refrigerate it for several hours before baking. |
| 4 | Or, on the other hand, you can cut and brown the bread cubes ahead of time. |
| 5 | The rest can be finished in minutes, once the bread is browned. |
| 6 | Remove the crusts from the bread. |
| 7 | Cut the bread into quarter-inch cubes; in a large skillet, melt half the butter. |
| 8 | Add 2 cups of bread cubes and toss over low heat until they"re golden-brown. |
| 9 | Sprinkle the cubes lightly with salt and caynne, stirring constantly. |
| 10 | Brown the remaining cubes in the remaining butter. |
| 11 | Sprinkle again with the cayenne and the salt. |
| 12 | Cover the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish with 1/3 of the bread cubes; top the bread evenly with half the oysters, sprinkle with salt and cayenne, half the lemon juice and half the onion. |
| 13 | Cover with 1/3 of the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt, cayenne, the rest of the lemon juice and the onion. |
| 14 | Pour in the cream, and top with the last third of the bread cubes. |
| 15 | Sprinkle with paprika to make pretty. |
| 16 | Bake at 325 °F for 25 to 35 minutes and serve *immediately*. |
