Ballymaloe Oysters with Champagne Sauce
The sauce is also excellent with baked fish, e.g. turbot, black sole and brill.
SERVES
2
PEOPLE
COOKING TIME
30
MINUTES
Ingredients
8 rock or Japanese oysters
Champagne sauce
quarter bottle of Champagne or sparkling white wine
12g (1/2 oz) finely chopped shallot
2 large egg yolks
110g (4oz) of butter
150ml (5fl oz) whipped double cream
Method
To make the champagne sauce, boil the champagne with the shallot, reducing to 1 tablespoon. Remove from the heat and beat in the yolks. Return to a very low heat and add the butter bit by bit as for Hollandaise sauce. When all the butter has melted, fold in the whipped cream.
Scrub the oysters well.
Just before serving, put into a hot oven 250°C/475°F/Gas Mark 9 until they just start to open and release their juices. Using an oyster knife, remove and discard the top shell, place a little champagne sauce on top of each oyster and put under a hot grill until golden. Serve immediately and garnish with frothy fennel and a lemon wedge.
