Christmas Eve Pan Roast Of Oysters

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 leeks, white part only, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp dry white wine, like vermouth
• 8 ounces shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 3 pints shucked oysters, with liquor
• 20 light green , flat leaf spinach leaves, cleaned, dried and cut into chiffonade

1. No more than 4 hours before serving, add the cream to a 3 quart sauce pan. Bring to a slight simmer, over medium heat. Cook until the cream has reduced by half ( 30 - 45 minutes). DO NOT let the cream come to a full boil, and use a ladle in the cream as a safety device to stir if it begins to foam. Strain cream into a warm Thermos or double bolier and hold until ready to serve.
2. Blanch leeks in boiling water for 30 seconds, strain and put in an ice bath. After a minute or two, drain and refrigerate until needed.
3. heat the butter and wine in a large non-stick saute pan. When a full boil has been reached, add mushroom slices and saute for 2 minutes. If doing this ahead, remove the mushrooms and any liquid. Reserve.
4. When it's showtime, re-warm mushrooms in large saute pan. Add leeks and oysters. Cook over moderate heat until oysters are just beginning to curl, usually 4 - 6 minutes. Stir in reduced cream, just barely re-warm it, no more than 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed with salt pepper and thyme. Serve in warm shallow soup bowls. Equally divide the chiffonade of spinach over the servings. Serve immediately.

heavy cream, thyme, salt, leeks, butter, white wine, shitake mushrooms, oysters, light green

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/christmas-eve-pan-roast-of-oysters-50014209 (may not work)