Raw Oysters and Seared Scallops with Truffle

Open the oysters with an oyster knife. Remove the top shell and reserve the juices in a small, stainless steel bowl, filtering it through a muslin cloth.

Delicately scrape the oysters out and remove any the small shell splinters.

Open the scallops. Remove the top shells, and remove the scallops from their shells, making sure not to damage them.

Remove the frill, any sandy parts, and the nerve against the meat. Rinse the scallops well under running tap water, and drain on a slotted stainless steel rack. Pat dry between two dishtowels.

Set the frill aside for the stock.

Wash and brush the truffles under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels.

Trim to give each truffle a regular shape, and cut into regular slices the same length as the truffles and 1/8 inch (4 mm) wide.

Mash the trimmings with a fork on parchment paper.

Peel the shallots and yellow onion, then cut into even, 1/10 inch thick (2 mm) slices.

Tie up a bouquet garni with the parsley stems, thyme, and bay leaf.

Crush the two garlic cloves without peeling them.

Rinse the scallop frills in a lot of water to remove their gluey texture and make sure there is no remaining sand. Drain in a colander.

Melt the butter in a sauté pan and sweat the shallots, onion and garlic cloves without browning.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in another sauté pan, and sauté the scallop frills. Once they start to give off liquid, drain and transfer to the sauté pan with the aromatics.

Add the white wine and water to cover. Bring to a boil, skim, add the bouquet garni, and simmer on the edge of the range for 25 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, let settle for 5 minutes, and filter through a fine-meshed chinois without pressing.

Add the scallop stock to the reserved oyster juices, and reduce by half in a saucepan. Add the crème fraîche and reduce again until it is the consistency of Worcestershire sauce.

Blend the nage in a blender, and filter through a fine-meshed chinois into a stainless steel bowl. Add the crushed truffle trimmings. When ready to use, add a few drops of lemon juice and a pinch of Espelette pepper, then season to taste. The nage is to be served slightly warm.

Heat up a drizzle of olive oil in a cast iron pot. Season the scallops. Lightly sauté, then add the salted butter and brown. Drain on a stainless steel rack.

Pour two tablespoons of nage into each plate, and serve the scallops, placing a raw oyster next to each scallop. Add the truffle slices, and season with fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper. Serve slightly warm.