ANNE QUATRANO’S KUMAMOTO OYSTERS WITH CAVIAR AND CHAMPAGNE GELEE

This recipe from Quatrano’s cookbook, “Summerland: Recipes for Celebrating with Southern Hospitality” (Rizzoli, $39.95) sounds and tastes impressive and is impressively simple to prepare. Quatrano says, “Oysters, caviar and champagne would top almost anyone’s list of aphrodisiacs. Here, we showcase them all in one luxurious bite.” She likes Kumamoto oysters from Washington State for this dish because they have a deep fluted cup and a sweet, creamy flavor. Talk with your oyster monger about the oysters available to you that have a similar flavor profile. Quatrano likes garnishing the dish with micro sorrel for the lemony flavor it brings to the combination. You could use very thinly sliced fresh sorrel instead or even a tiny sprinkle of lemon zest.

Line a shallow 4-inch container such as a storage container or small cake pan with plastic wrap.

Make gelee: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm 1/2 cup champagne. Sprinkle gelatin over warm champagne and stir to dissolve. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in remaining 1/2 cup champagne. Pour gelatin mixture into prepared container and refrigerate, uncovered, until it has gelled. Unmold and cut into whatever shape you desire, or break it up with a fork to resemble granita. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

To shuck oysters, place on a flat and sturdy surface, using a kitchen towel to keep the oyster stable and keeping the deep, cupped side down. Gently push the tip of an oyster knife into the hinged portion on the pointed end of the shell. Once the knife is firmly in place, leverage or lift the top shell until you hear or feel a pop. Slowly move the oyster knife around the top of the shell to release. Run the oyster knife under the bottom of the meat of the oyster to release it from the muscle holding it to the bottom shell, keeping the oyster level to reserve as much of the liquor as possible. Leave the oyster in the bottom shell and check for any bits of shell that might have broken loose. Arrange oysters on a bed of crushed ice or coarse sea salt and garnish each with caviar, Champagne gelee and micro sorrel. Serve immediately. Serves: 2

Per serving: 184 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 7 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 4 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 111 milligrams cholesterol, 278 milligrams sodium.