Oysters with Champagne Sauce

Number of Servings

Serves 4

Ingredients

20 oysters shucked,Champagne Sauce (recipe follows)*,1/4 cup thinly sliced imported prosciutto- cut into 1/16-inch julienne,1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts,4 fresh parsley sprigs,
Champagne Sauce,(Makes 1 1/4 cups),1 tablespoon minced shallot,1/2 cup dry Champagne,2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar,1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream,4 tablespoons unsalted butter- cut into small pieces,Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Directions

Oysters:
- Preheat the oven to 450°.
- Place the oysters on a baking sheet and bake them for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters begin to curl.

Champagne Sauce:
-Place the shallot, Champagne, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil and cook to reduce by one third.
- Add the cream to the pan, and cook to reduce again by one third.
- Remove the pan from heat but keep the burner on low. Whisk in the butter one piece at a time.
- Return the pot to the burner for a few seconds if the sauce cools too much to melt the butter.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper, adding a minimum of salt since the prosciutto is salty.
- Strain the sauce through a fine-meshed sieve and keep it warm over hot water.

- Spoon the Champagne sauce over the oysters and top the oysters with the prosciutto and pistachios.
- Return the oysters to the oven for 45 seconds to warm the sauce.

To serve:
- Place a bed of rock salt on each of the dishes and arrange 5 oysters on each. Garnish each place with a spring of fresh parsley.

Comments

The Champagne butter sauce is a perfect foil for the briny flavor of the oysters, and the sprinkling of salty prosciutto and crunchy pistachios adds textural contrasts to the silky texture of the mollusk.