Oyster Nage
"Nage" means to swim in French — the oysters should be swimming in the sauce! Be sure to have plenty of good bread around to mop up this sauce.
Ingredients
12 fresh oysters, shucked and held in their strained liquor
1 cup Verjus Blanc
2 small shallots, peeled and diced
1/2 of one carrot
1 leek, white part only
3 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
Salt and white pepper to taste
Poaching liquid: In a small saucepan, combine the verjus, the chopped shallots and the oyster liquor. Bring the oyster liquor. Bring this mixture to a boil and reduce to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat.
The garnish: The carrot and leek will serve as the garnish. Peel the carrot and cut into a fine julienne, 1 1/2 inches long. Set aside. To julienne the leek, cut it in half lengthwise (remember, white part only) and separate the leaves into manageable stacks. Cut into fine strips, and then rinse well in a bowl of cold water. Sweat the leek and carrot julienne in 1 tablespoon of the butter. Use low heat, don't allow the butter to brown or the vegetables to take on any color. You just want to concentrate the flavors of the vegetables by 'sweating out' the water that they naturally contain. Reserve the garnish for later.
Execution of the dish: Bring the poaching liquid back up to a boil and add the cream. Return to boil, then decrease heat to low. Add the oysters, and stir them around in the sauce with a wooden spoon. It will take only about 30 seconds to cook the oysters. Taste the sauce. Add carrots and leeks to the nage, then add the butter, stirring over low heat. Finish the nage by adding the chopped herbs and adjusting the seasoning. Serve the nage in a warm soup bowl.
"Nage" means to swim in French — the oysters should be swimming in the sauce! Be sure to have plenty of good bread around to mop up this sauce.
Ingredients
12 fresh oysters, shucked and held in their strained liquor
1 cup Verjus Blanc
2 small shallots, peeled and diced
1/2 of one carrot
1 leek, white part only
3 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
Salt and white pepper to taste
Poaching liquid: In a small saucepan, combine the verjus, the chopped shallots and the oyster liquor. Bring the oyster liquor. Bring this mixture to a boil and reduce to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat.
The garnish: The carrot and leek will serve as the garnish. Peel the carrot and cut into a fine julienne, 1 1/2 inches long. Set aside. To julienne the leek, cut it in half lengthwise (remember, white part only) and separate the leaves into manageable stacks. Cut into fine strips, and then rinse well in a bowl of cold water. Sweat the leek and carrot julienne in 1 tablespoon of the butter. Use low heat, don't allow the butter to brown or the vegetables to take on any color. You just want to concentrate the flavors of the vegetables by 'sweating out' the water that they naturally contain. Reserve the garnish for later.
Execution of the dish: Bring the poaching liquid back up to a boil and add the cream. Return to boil, then decrease heat to low. Add the oysters, and stir them around in the sauce with a wooden spoon. It will take only about 30 seconds to cook the oysters. Taste the sauce. Add carrots and leeks to the nage, then add the butter, stirring over low heat. Finish the nage by adding the chopped herbs and adjusting the seasoning. Serve the nage in a warm soup bowl.
