Janni Kyritsis divine Warm Fennel and Pernod Oysters
sufficient for four or six depending on how serious oyster lovers they are
2 dozen closed oysters
100g unsalted butter
2 leeks, white part only, very finely sliced
white pepper, finely ground
150g fennel bulb, cleaned weight, finely chopped
150g white wine reduction
100g oyster liquor
200g pouring cream
20g Pernod
Maldon sea salt
1g fennel top, finely chopped
Set up a sieve over a bowl and shuck the oysters and their liquor into the sieve and let them drain for at least 15 minutes. Weigh off 100g of the liquor and freeze the remainder for other purposes.
Sauté the leeks in the butter with some pepper until they are softened, but not coloured, add the fennel, stir through and then add the white wine reduction and oyster liquor and reduce rapidly by about one third. Do not add salt oyster liquor and the oysters may be sufficient. Stir through the cream, bring to the boil and then stir in the Pernod and chopped fennel top.
to serve
Crumple foil onto a lipped baking sheet and set the oyster shells level on the foil. Place an oyster in each shell.
Pre heat oven to 200°C
Rewarm the sauce and spoon it over the oysters. To this point can be done in advance but should be left at room temperature.
Place in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the fennel is just bubbling and is lightly coloured. Serve immediately.
pictured top left Oyster Natural with Shallot, Cucumuber and Cucumber Pearls and above Oyster Natural with Wasabi Mayonnaise and Wasabi Flying Fish Roe.
Apologies we couldn’t find a picture in our data base for Janis’ oysters