Name: Oyster Bouchées
Yield: Makes 12
Ingredients: 1 egg, whisked with a little water and a pinch of salt, to form an egg wash; 2 tbsp flour, plus extra for dusting; 12 oysters, shucked (retain any juices); salt and white pepper, to taste; 2 tbsp butter; 55 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup double cream; 115 g/4 oz/1½ cups assorted mushrooms, finely chopped; 55 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup white wine; 285 g/10 oz puff pastry; 115 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup hot chicken or veal stock; chopped parsley leaves, to garnish; 1 tbsp butter, at room temperature, plus extra (optional), for the top

Preparation info

Makes
12

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

How to Cook The Victorian Way with Mrs Crocombe

By Annie Gray and Andrew Hann

Published 2020

About

Oysters were tremendously popular in the Victorian era, both by themselves and added to dishes. Cod was often served with oyster sauce, while a strong, spiced oyster ketchup was used to pep up sauces. Some of the best oysters in Britain come from Colchester, in the same county as Audley End (Essex), where the industry dates back to the Roman era.