Oysters with Champagne sabayon and leek confit

Instructions

1. For the leek confit, place a heavy based frying pan over low - medium heat and gently melt the butter. Add the onion, leek and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to soften. Add the salt and cook for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure the vegetables don’t catch on the base of the pan and colour. Stir in the crème fraiche, then remove from the heat.
   
2. For the sabayon, place a medium sized saucepan with a small amount of water over high heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, place the egg yolks and champagne into a heat proof bowl and place the bowl over boiling water. Reduce the heat to low and use a handheld whisk to whisk in a figure 8 motion to aerate and cook the sabayon. When the sabayon has increased in volume, whisking continuously, slowly add the warmed clarified butter until emulsified. Finish the sabayon with lemon juice, salt, crème fraiche and chives and fold through. Keep in a warm place until serving.
   
3. To serve, place the champagne, oysters and oyster juice in a small saucepan over very low heat and stir to just warm the oyster.
   
4. Line the base of a serving plate with seaweed or salt to prevent the shells moving, then arrange the empty oyster shells on top.
   
5. Place a small amount of the leek confit into each oyster shell, then place the warmed oysters on top. Spoon over the sabayon, sprinkle with espelette pepper and serve.