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A Victorian hors d’œuvre that has died a death in recent decades; an angel on horseback is simply an oyster wrapped in bacon and grilled; a devil is a tea-soaked prune treated the same way. Oysters were then a poor man’s food, but today they are a delicacy and are often replaced with a scallop.

Image and text courtesy of the DBE Colorado 2021 Calendar

Ingredients

• 8 fresh oysters, scallops, clams, or mussels (for the “angels”)

• 8 pitted prunes (soaked in tea or port, if needed), chicken livers or

• Mushrooms (for the “devils”)

• 8 slices center-cut bacon, halved crosswise (or to fit)

• Lettuce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400⁰ F.

2. Wrap each “angel” in bacon (to fit) and secure with a wooden pick.

3. Wrap each “devil” in bacon (to fit) and secure with a wooden pick.

4. Arrange the “angels” and “devils” in a shallow baking pan, season to taste.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp, but the fillings are still moist.

6. Finish under the broiler to crisp the bacon if necessary.

7. Arrange the angels and devils on a bed of lettuce. If they are for a party, leave the wooden picks in, otherwise, they can be removed. If desired, serve with toast.

Notes

• If the scallops or mushrooms are large, they can be cut in half, but more bacon slices may be needed.