Poached Oysters In Anise Flavored Cream With Black Pepper Creme Fraiche And Caviar Recipes

POACHED OYSTERS IN CHAMPAGNE WITH A JULIENNE OF VEGETABLES, LEAF SPINACH AND PROSCIUTTO HAM

Steps:

• Shuck the oysters. Reserve the oyster juice. Wash the shells. Cut the vegetables into strips and steam. Set aside Blanch the spinach and set aside Peel and cut the shallots into small dice, then add the white wine and reduce until only 1 tablespoon remains. Add the cream reduce for 30 seconds, then whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a sauteuse. Pour in the cream, oyster juice, champagne and garlic. Add the oyster, prosciutto and poach for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the shallot-butter sauce off the heat. Spoon into the oyster shells; top with the spinach, then top with the oysters and place a small pile of the steamed vegetables on each oyster. Serve on a bed of blanched seaweed or on a bed of mixed peppercorns.

POACHED OYSTERS IN PERNOD CREAM

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together creme fraiche, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Transfer mixture to a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Refrigerate, and let drain for 2 hours. Transfer solids to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add heavy cream, 1 1/2 cups reserved oyster liquor, and the Pernod; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt and remaining teaspoon pepper; reduce heat to medium. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes; remove from heat. Add half of the spinach to saucepan and puree mixture using an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large skillet; keep warm.
• Heat oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, fry remaining spinach until crispy, about 45 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked spinach and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate; season with salt.
• Add oysters to cream sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the edges start to curl, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• To serve, arrange six oysters in each of six shallow bowls. Spoon 1/2 cup cream sauce into each bowl; spoon a dollop of creme fraiche in the center, top with caviar, and garnish with fried spinach. Serve immediately.

POACHED OYSTERS IN FENNEL-SAFFRON SOUP

Steps:

• melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. add fennel and saute until golden, about 10 minutes. add 1 cup water; cover and cook until fennel is very tender, about 20 minutes. puree fennel mixture in processor and set aside.
• heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. add garlic and saffron; saute 1 minute. add clam juice, cream and pernod and bring to simmer. add fennel puree and bring to simmer (can be made 1 day ahead. refrigerate uncovered until cold. cover and keep refrigerated. simmer before continuing.) add oysters with their liquor to cream mixture and stir to heat through. ladle soup into bowls.

OYSTER VELOUTé WITH BLACK CAVIAR

Steps:

• In a saucepan, melt the butter and soften the shallots but do not brown. Blend in the flour and cook over low heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes. (The roux should be smooth and golden.) In another saucepan, combine and warm the stocks. Gradually add stocks to the roux, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, skimming off any scum that forms on the top. Add the salt.
• Strain oysters and reserve their liquor. Purée oysters in a food processor or blender and add them with their liquor to the soup. Simmer, partly covered, for 5 minutes, then add cayenne. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing hard with a spoon. (Soup may be prepared ahead to this point.)
• About 5 or 10 minutes before serving, reheat the soup. Whisk yolks and cream together. Slowly whisk in a cup of the hot soup, then stir the cream mixture back into the soup. Stir constantly over low heat, until soup thickens slightly. Bring almost to the boil and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and taste for seasonings. Ladle into serving bowls and top each with about a teaspoon of caviar.

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.

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.

POACHED OYSTERS IN FENNEL-SAFFRON SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add fennel and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup water; cover and cook until fennel is very tender, about 20 minutes. Puree fennel mixture in processor. Set aside.
• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saffron; sauté 1 minute. Add clam juice, cream, and Pernod and bring to simmer. Add fennel puree and bring to simmer. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and keep refrigerated. Simmer before continuing.) Add oysters with their liquor to cream mixture and stir to heat through. Ladle soup into bowls.

DEVILED EGGS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Place eggs in a small pan, and cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 9 minutes. Drain, and peel while still warm. Slice in half lengthwise; remove yolks, reserving whites on a serving platter.
• Place still-warm yolks in a small bowl, and mash with a fork. Add crème fraîche, mustard and finely sliced chives, and continue mashing until very smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne. Cut remaining chives into pieces 1/2 inch long.
• Using a pastry bag with a small ( 1/4 inch) round tip, pipe the mixture into the cavity of each white, filling it completely and making a small walnut-size mound above the white. At the picnic, spoon a little caviar on top of each egg and garnish with pieces of sliced chive.