RECIPES

Serves 2

This is a simple dish that is good anytime but I think especially appealing as part of a Valentine’s dinner for two since both oysters and caviar are purported to be aphrodisiacs! The beurre blanc (white butter sauce) can be made and hour or so ahead and kept warm either in a warm water bath or in a thermos. I like the trout caviar from Tsar Nicoulai Caviar in San Francisco www.tsarnicoulai.com, which is not expensive. You could use whatever caviar you prefer.

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
1/2 cup shellfish or chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter
Salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper or drops of your favorite hot sauce
Drops of fresh lemon juice
12 half shell size raw oysters in their shells
2 – 3 tablespoons Pearl Trout Caviar
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Add the shallots, wine, stock and tarragon to a small deep saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup or so. Add the cream and continue to boil until mixture is again reduced to about 1/2 cup or has a light sauce consistency. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in 1 tablespoon of the butter until it’s completely absorbed. As you whisk you can move the saucepan back and forth from low heat to no heat; the trick is to melt the butter into a cream sauce without breaking (which is when the butter separates and the sauce turns oily). Repeat with remaining butter a tablespoon at a time. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean saucepan and season to taste with salt, pepper and drops of lemon juice. Keep warm.

Shuck the oysters (you can do this while sauce is reducing) discarding the shallow top shells. Drain the oyster liquor (drink it, its delicious!). Place oysters on paper towels and wipe out the deep shell. Place a cup or so of salt on each of two plates which will serve as a base for the oysters and keep them from tipping. Arrange 6 of the deep shells on each plate.

To serve: Place all of the drained oysters in the beurre blanc over low heat. Gently turn them in the sauce for 45 seconds or so or until they are just warmed. Spoon an oyster into each of the shells that are set on the salt. Top each of the oysters with remaining beurre blanc, spoon on caviar, sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.

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Chocolate Truffle Tort

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Related Article:
Food and Love: Some Special Treats for Valentine’s Day!