Oysters with Champagne sabayon and leek confit

Try this indulgent twist on the traditional Sabayon recipe, with champagne instead of wine and a touch of crème fraiche. This take on sabayon, along with some confit leeks, makes the perfect accompaniment to fresh oysters.

• makes

  12

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 50 ml champagne
• 12 flat oysters, shucked, liquid and shells reserved
• Seaweed or rock salt, to serve
• Pinch ground espelette pepper

Leek confit

• 80 g butter
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs thyme
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp crème fraiche

Champagne sabayon

• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp champagne
• 2 tbsp warm clarified butter
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• 1 tbsp crème fraiche
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives

Instructions

1. For the leek confit, place a heavy based frying pan over low - medium heat and gently melt the butter. Add the onion, leek and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to soften. Add the salt and cook for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure the vegetables don’t catch on the base of the pan and colour. Stir in the crème fraiche, then remove from the heat.
   
2. For the sabayon, place a medium sized saucepan with a small amount of water over high heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, place the egg yolks and champagne into a heat proof bowl and place the bowl over boiling water. Reduce the heat to low and use a handheld whisk to whisk in a figure 8 motion to aerate and cook the sabayon. When the sabayon has increased in volume, whisking continuously, slowly add the warmed clarified butter until emulsified. Finish the sabayon with lemon juice, salt, crème fraiche and chives and fold through. Keep in a warm place until serving.
   
3. To serve, place the champagne, oysters and oyster juice in a small saucepan over very low heat and stir to just warm the oyster.
   
4. Line the base of a serving plate with seaweed or salt to prevent the shells moving, then arrange the empty oyster shells on top.
   
5. Place a small amount of the leek confit into each oyster shell, then place the warmed oysters on top. Spoon over the sabayon, sprinkle with espelette pepper and serve.

Photography by Blink TV. Styling by Blink TV. Food preparation by Guillaume Brahimi.

From Normandy to the Spanish border, follow Guillaume Brahimi along the French Atlantic at SBS On Demand.

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.