Be the first to Oysters are served on a bed of salt, peppercorns, seaweed, and cucumbers, then topped with shallot butter sauce and caviar. The oysters are served uncooked, but oven-warmed. If necessary to fit your budget, you may use a less expensive caviar.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle (3 to 4 ounces) whole black peppercorns
- 1 box kosher salt
- 8 ounces seaweed
- 24 small oysters, shells scrubbed
- 1 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into small dice
- 4 ounces (1 stick or 8 Tablespoons) cold sweet butter, cut into 1 Tablespoon squares, divided use
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 lemon
- 3 large shallots, minced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1-1/2 ounces osetra caviar
Preparation:
Whisk together peppercorns and salt. Spread in even layers on 4 oven-proof plates and top with seaweed. Set aside.
Shuck oysters and refrigerate in a covered container. Press 6 bottom shells into the seaweed on each of the plates. (The recipe may be made in advance up to this point.)
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Saute cucumbers in 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat until barely tender. Stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Saute shallots in 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat until soft, but not browned. Add wine and bring to a boil. Simmer until wine is almost gone. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter into the shallots, 2 tablespoons at a time, to make a sauce. Do not let butter melt and separate. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Place on the back of the stove to keep warm, but do not heat further.
Place an equal amount of the cucumbers in each oyster shell and top with an oyster. Put plates in the center of the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to warm, but not completely cook the oysters.
To serve, spoon 1 tablespoon of shallot butter sauce over each oyster and top with caviar.
Yield: 4 servings
Shuck oysters and refrigerate in a covered container. Press 6 bottom shells into the seaweed on each of the plates. (The recipe may be made in advance up to this point.)
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Saute cucumbers in 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat until barely tender. Stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Saute shallots in 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat until soft, but not browned. Add wine and bring to a boil. Simmer until wine is almost gone. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter into the shallots, 2 tablespoons at a time, to make a sauce. Do not let butter melt and separate. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Place on the back of the stove to keep warm, but do not heat further.
Place an equal amount of the cucumbers in each oyster shell and top with an oyster. Put plates in the center of the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to warm, but not completely cook the oysters.
To serve, spoon 1 tablespoon of shallot butter sauce over each oyster and top with caviar.
Yield: 4 servings
