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Poached Oysters with Spinach and Lemongrass

Serves 4

16 oysters (Pacific if available)

25g (1oz) butter

225g (8oz) fresh spinach leaves, washed and tough stalks removed

For the lemongrass sauce

1 tsp softened butter

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed and core finely chopped

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

150ml (5fl oz) dry white wine

100ml (3¹₂fl oz) double cream

salt and freshly ground white pepper

This is the perfect recipe if you want to try cooking or eating oysters for the first time. It might sound fancy, but it’s actually very easy and guaranteed to impress your guests. You can ask your fishmonger to remove all the oysters from their shells or follow the instructions below.

Scrub the oyster shells thoroughly. Place an oyster on a tea towel on a firm surface, flattest shell uppermost and hinge towards you. Gather the tea towel around the oyster and grip it firmly so there is a thick wad of cloth protecting your hand. With the other hand, insert an oyster knife or a sharp rigid blade into the gap in the hinge and twist upwards to snap the shells apart. Slide the blade along the inside of the upper shell to sever the muscle that keeps the shells together. Lift off the top shell and run the knife under the oyster to remove it from the bottom shell. Repeat with the rest of the oysters. Clean the bottom shells and reserve for serving.

To make the lemongrass sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the shallot, lemongrass and lemon rind and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened but not browned, stirring occasionally. Pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by half, stirring at intervals. Stir in the cream and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the lemon juice. Blitz with a hand-held blender and pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Keep warm over a low heat.

Just before you poach the oysters, melt the butter in a large pan and add the spinach and a pinch of salt. Cook for a minute or so over a high heat until just wilted, then drain off any excess liquid and spoon a mound of spinach into each oyster shell. Arrange on heated plates and keep warm. Add the oysters to the warm lemongrass sauce, still over a low heat, and gently poach for 30 seconds, but no longer. Carefully remove the oysters with a slotted spoon and place on top of the spinach in the shells. Place the hand-held blender in the sauce and blitz to lighten, then spoon the sauce over the poached oysters to serve.