The classic French beurre blanc, or ‘white butter’, sauce is a long-time friend of seafood. In this recipe, it is mixed with lightly sautéed vegetables and piled onto oven-baked oysters to make an impressive seafood party starter.
Preparation
Cooking
Skill level
Ingredients
- 12 oysters, shucked
- 2 cups rock salt
Beurre blanc sauce
- 125 ml (½ cup) white wine
- 3 French shallots, diced
- 200 g butter
- 60 ml cream
Vegetables
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots, julienned
- ½ celeriac, julienned
- 1 leek, julienned
Cook's notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180°C.
To make the beurre blanc sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add wine and shallot. Cook for 15 minutes or until reduced by three-quarters. Gradually add butter, 50 g at a time, whisking constantly, until combined. Stir in cream, then set aside in a warm place.
To cook the vegetables, heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, then carrot. Stir to coat in oil. Stir in celeriac, then leek. Cook for 4 minutes or until softened. Add the beurre blanc sauce, stir and set aside.
Place oysters in a baking tray. Bake for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make a bed of rock salt on a serving platter. Remove oysters from oven and place on salt. Spoon beurre blanc sauce and vegetables on top of oysters and serve.
