Four Seasons Oysters In Champagne Velouté - cooking recipe

Ingredients

24 oysters, on the half shell
3 tablespoons lightly-salted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 - 1/2 cup fish stock
24 oyster liquid
1/2 cup Brut champagne
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs
fresh ground black pepper
rock salt (optional)

Preparation

Remove the oysters from their shells and refrigerate. Reserve the oyster lIquid and the shells.
Melt butter in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes with stirring while not letting the mixture brown. Add enough fish stock to the oyster juice to make 1 cup. Gradually beat the mixture into the flour mixture and when thickened and smooth, let the sauce simmer gently for about 20 minutes, whisking often to prevent the sauce from sticking to the pan.
Stir in 1/4 cup of the champagne and the cream. Simmer the mixture until it has reduced to one cup.
In a separate pan heat the remaining 1/4 cup champagne with the herbs and cook until the liquid has almost evaporated. Add the mixture to the sauce ane season with the pepper.
Preheat your broiler. Line a pan large enough to hold all of the oysters with rock salt or crumpled foil to hold them in place. Rinse and dry the shells and place them in the pan.
Put an oyster on each shell and spoon a heaping Tbs of the sauce over each. Glaze briefly under the broiler, transfer to individual plates and serve at once.