Oyster Velouté With Black Caviar Recipes

FOUR SEASONS OYSTERS IN CHAMPAGNE VELOUTE

Steps:

• Remove the oysters from the shells and refrigerate. Reserve the oyster liquid and the shells.
• Melt butter in a 2 1/2-quart saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes without letting the mixture brown. Add enough fish stock to the oyster juice to make 1 cup. Gradually beat this into the flour mixture and when thickened and smooth, let the sauce simmer gently for about 20 minutes, whisking often to prevent the sauce from sticking to the pan.
• Stir in 1/4 cup of the Champagne and the cream. Simmer until the mixture is reduced to 1 cup, whisking often.
• In a separate pan, heat the remaining 1/4 cup Champagne with the herbs and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated. Add the mixture to the sauce and season with pepper.
• Preheat broiler. Line a baking pan large enough to hold the shells in a single layer with rock salt or crumpled foil to hold them steady. Rinse and dry the shells and place in the pan.
• Put an oyster on each shell and spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon of sauce over each. Glaze briefly under the broiler, transfer to individual plates and serve at once.

OYSTERS, CAVIAR AND BUBBLES

Steps:

• Combine the lemon juice, shallots and peppercorns in a small bowl. Let sit in the fridge for about 1 hour to let the flavors marry.
• Just before serving, add the prosecco to the sauce and season with a pinch of salt. Spoon the desired amount of the mignonette sauce over the oysters and top each with a dollop of caviar. Serve immediately.

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.

PAN FRIED OYSTERS WITH AGED SHERRY SAUCE AND OSETRA CAVIAR

Steps:

• For the Oysters: Dredge oysters in cornmeal. Heat oil in a large skillet until almost smoking. Saute oysters on each side for 1 minute. Spoon 2 teaspoons of butter sauce into each reserved shell. Top with an oyster and a heaping teaspoon of caviar
• For the Aged Sherry Sauce: Place shallots and sherry vinegar in a small saucepan and reduce to 1 tablespoon over high heat. Whisk in the butter, piece by piece. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

VICHYSSOISE OF KUMUMOTO OYSTERS AND ROYAL STERLING CAVIAR

Steps:

• Pry open the oysters and separate the juice from the meat, reserving both in the fridge. Clean the bottom shells very well and reserve them for later.;
• To make the vichyssoise base: Heat the butter and leeks in a small saucepan over low heat and cook until the leeks are softened but not browned. Add the potatoes and water and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Chill and season with salt. Pour into a blender and puree with the cream and blanched spinach to get a light mint green color. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
• To make the mousse: Whisk the creme fraiche to soft peaks in a mixer. Heat 1/2 cup of the vichyssoise base in a medium saucepan. Add the bloomed gelatin to the base. Fold in the whipped creme fraiche and 1/2 cup more of vichyssoise base.
• To make the oyster glaze: Bring 3 tablespoons of the reserved oyster juices to a boil in a small saucepan. Strain through a coffee filter. Add the bloomed gelatin to the liquid. Let cool but not enough to set.
• To finish: Fill the 8 reserved oyster shells about 3/4 full with the vichyssoise mousse and set an oyster on top. Keep cool and brush with the still-liquid oyster glaze. Repeat the brushing until the whole oyster has a shine to it. Garnish with a quenelle of caviar, chive blossom, and dill.

LOBSTER VELOUTE WITH CHILLED LOBSTER SALAD AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• For the veloute: In a stockpot, combine cognac, onions, carrots, celery, lobster carcasses, leeks and fennel. Add 1 gallon water and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and simmer until thickened. Press through a fine-mesh sieve. Chill until ready to serve.
• For the lobster salad: Combine the lobster meat, creme fraiche, chives, parsley, tarragon, and lemon zest and juice in a bowl and chill.
• Serve the veloute in soup bowls, topped with some of the lobster salad and garnished with a teaspoon of caviar.

FOUR SEASONS OYSTERS IN CHAMPAGNE VELOUTé

Steps:

• Remove the oysters from their shells and refrigerate. Reserve the oyster lIquid and the shells.
• Melt butter in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes with stirring while not letting the mixture brown. Add enough fish stock to the oyster juice to make 1 cup. Gradually beat the mixture into the flour mixture and when thickened and smooth, let the sauce simmer gently for about 20 minutes, whisking often to prevent the sauce from sticking to the pan.
• Stir in 1/4 cup of the champagne and the cream. Simmer the mixture until it has reduced to one cup.
• In a separate pan heat the remaining 1/4 cup champagne with the herbs and cook until the liquid has almost evaporated. Add the mixture to the sauce ane season with the pepper.
• Preheat your broiler. Line a pan large enough to hold all of the oysters with rock salt or crumpled foil to hold them in place. Rinse and dry the shells and place them in the pan.
• Put an oyster on each shell and spoon a heaping Tbs of the sauce over each. Glaze briefly under the broiler, transfer to individual plates and serve at once.

SPAGHETTI WITH SEAFOOD VELOUTé

Steps:

• Prepare all the seafood by first opening the oysters into a sieve over a bowl to catch the juices (see video technique). Trim and slice the salmon into 6 equal-size square chunks. If the scallops are large, cut them in half lengthways. Peel and devein the prawns if needed.
• Place the strained oyster juice and fish stock into a shallow saucepan and bring to a simmer. First add the salmon and poach for 1 min. Add the prawns and oysters (if using large ones) and poach for 1 min more. Add the scallops and poach for 1 min more, then add the oysters (if small) and simmer everything for a final min until just cooked.
• Carefully tip the fish and poaching liquid into a sieve over a large saucepan or bowl, keeping all the salmon chunks intact.
• Heat half the butter in the cleaned shallow pan and add the shallot. Cook very gently for 5 mins until soft but not coloured, then pour in the alcohol and boil until reduced to a few tablespoons. Pour in the poaching liquid and boil down until reduced by half, about 20-25 mins. Stir in the cream and, once more, reduce by half. Turn down to a gentle simmer and whisk in the rest of the butter.
• Gently add the seafood to the sauce, taking care not to break up the salmon. Simmer lightly until heated through, then add most of the herbs, squeeze over the lemon juice and set aside.
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water until just done, about 3-4 mins, then drain well and add back to the pan with a drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the herbs. You are now ready to plate up.
• Use a roasting fork to twirl a neat bundle of spaghetti. Stand the bundle in the middle of a warm large pasta bowl. Alternate the salmon and seafood around the pasta. Spoon the sauce over the seafood, top the pasta with the chervil or parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

OYSTERS WRAPPED IN CAVIAR BUTTER, BREADED AND DEEP-FRIED

Steps:

• Open the oysters and cut off and discard the gills. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over tiny muffin tins and place one oyster in each hole.
• Puree all but about two tablespoons of the caviar with the butter. With a pastry tube, spread one teaspoon of caviar butter on top of each oyster. Press down and rotate so that the butter side is down in the plastic wrap. Cover each with one-half teaspoon of caviar and then two more teaspoons of the caviar butter, applying it in circles to cover the caviar and the oyster. Pat the butter down to cover, then cover with another sheet of plastic. Leave the tins in the freezer for about a half hour until the butter is cold.
• Dip each oyster in egg, then roll it in the bread crumbs, making sure the crumbs completely cover the oyster. Dip it in the egg once more and roll again in the bread crumbs. Refrigerate the oysters for another half hour, then dip them in egg and bread crumbs one last time.
• In oil that is almost smoking, fry the oysters for 30 to 60 seconds or until they are brown. Remove them and drain, then place them in a 550-degree oven for about five minutes to melt the butter and warm the oysters. Serve immediately on a plate with a fork.