Poached Oysters With Stilton Cream Recipes

POACHED OYSTERS IN ANISE-FLAVORED CREAM WITH BLACK PEPPER CREME FRAICHE AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Combine the creme fraiche, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper in a small bowl, and mix well. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer and place over a bowl. Let the mixture drain, refrigerated, for up to 2 hours. Cover until needed.
• Drain the oysters in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, and reserve their liquid to equal 1 1/2 cups.
• Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add cayenne pepper. Add the heavy cream, the 1 1/2 cups oyster liquor, and the liqueur, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until reduced by 50 percent in volume, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add half of the spinach to the cream and puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large clean saute pan, and keep warm.
• Heat the oil in a medium stockpot to 350 degrees F.
• Add the remaining spinach to the pot in batches and fry until crispy, about 45 seconds. With a slotted spoon remove the cooked spinach and drain on paper towels. Season lightly with salt to taste.
• Add the oysters to the sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the edges of the oysters start to curl, about 3 minutes, depending upon their size. Remove from the heat.
• To serve, arrange 6 oysters around the inner edge of a shallow, rimmed soup bowl like the spokes of a wheel, and spoon 1/2 cup of sauce around the oysters.
• Spoon a dollop of Black Pepper Creme Fraiche into the center of the bowl, top with a teaspoon of the Beluga caviar, and garnish with fried spinach. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve.

POACHED OYSTERS WITH LEEKS AND BACON

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer it to a plate topped with paper towels, then drain the skillet of all but 1 tablespoon fat; set the skillet aside.
• Heat the white wine in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When it starts to simmer, add the oysters and poach just until the edges start to curl, about 4 minutes (reduce the heat if the simmer gets too lively). Drain the oysters in a fine colander placed over a large bowl, reserving the poaching liquid.
• Reheat the skillet with bacon fat over medium-high heat and add the 1 tablespoon butter. When the foaming subsides, add the onion, celery, and leeks and cook until fragrant and softened, 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with flour, then whisk in the reserved oyster poaching liquid. Simmer over medium heat, continuously whisking, for 3 minutes. Add the milk, cream, and herb and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until thickened and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
• When the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, remove it from the heat and keep warm. Toast the bread; spread with softened butter and place it on a platter or individual plates. Stir the oysters into the sauce and warm through, over low heat. To serve, spoon the oysters over the toast and sprinkle with bacon. Top with green onions or chives, if desired.
• I've eaten oysters all over the world. When it comes to slurping them raw, from the half shell, I love oysters from the Pacific (like the Japanese varieties), because they taste briny, like the ocean. But when it comes to cooking, nothing beats Louisiana oysters. They come from the brackish waters where the salt water of the Gulf mingles with the fresh water of the bayou and rivers, so they have a milder flavor that blends better with other ingredients. Because Louisiana oysters are larger, they're less likely to overcook in a poaching pan. I may be biased, but I definitely think they're the most versatile oysters in the kitchen. For my favorite sources, see p. 384.

POACHED OYSTERS AND ARTICHOKES WITH CHAMPAGNE CREAM

Steps:

• Prepare artichoke bottoms:
• Fill a 3-quart saucepan halfway with water and add vinegar, oil, and salt, then whisk in flour. (Do not heat.)
• Cut off top inch of leaves of 1 artichoke with a serrated knife, then cut stem flush with base and discard stem. Bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base, then discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until exposed leaves are pale green at top and pale yellow at base. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and side of artichoke with a sharp paring knife, then cut remaining leaves flush with top of artichoke bottom. Drop artichoke bottom into water in pot, putting a sieve or small lid directly on top of artichoke to keep submerged, and prepare remaining artichokes in same manner. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, keeping artichokes submerged with sieve or lid, until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes with tongs (reserving water in saucepan) to a work surface, and, when cool enough to handle, remove pointed inner leaves and fuzzy chokes with a melon-ball cutter or a small spoon. Return artichokes to cooking water to keep warm, covered.
• Cook spinach while artichokes simmer:
• Put 1 inch of water in a 3- to 4-quart pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add spinach, 1 handful at a time, stirring with tongs, and cooking until all spinach is wilted. Drain spinach in a colander and press firmly with back of a large spoon to remove excess liquid.
• Cook shallot in butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Keep warm, covered.
• Prepare oysters and sauce:
• Pour oyster liquor into a nonreactive 8-inch heavy skillet and add Champagne, shallot, and vinegar. Bring to a boil and boil, skimming foam, until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 5 minutes. (Reduce heat if necessary to keep from boiling over.) Pour liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup, pressing on and then discarding shallot. Return liquid to skillet, then add cream and oysters and cook over moderate heat, turning oysters over if not completely covered, until edges curl, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Assemble dish and finish sauce:
• Transfer artichoke bottoms with tongs to paper towels to drain, arranging them upside down. Transfer to plates, turning them right side up, then top with spinach. Arrange oysters on top of spinach, lifting them out of sauce with a slotted spoon.
• Boil sauce until reduced to about 1/2 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add butter, then chives, and swirl skillet until butter is incorporated. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over oysters.