Photograph by Gentl and Hyers food styling by Maggie Ruggiero  Prop Styling by Ayesha Patel

Photograph by Gentl and Hyers food styling by Maggie Ruggiero  Prop Styling by Ayesha Patel

Betty Catroux & Loulou de la Falaise

Smoked Oyster Bites

Amuse-Bouche from Issue 11 – Summer 2017 – Heroines

Yves Saint Laurent met Betty Catroux and Loulou de la Falaise in ‘60s Paris, and both would become indispensable advisers. The lanky, androgynous Catroux inspired his menswear leanings (like the Le Smoking suit), while haute bohemian de la Falaise, who would help launch YSL’s prêt-à-porter, nudged him into exotic territory. “Intuitive, innate, individual, her presence at my side is a dream,” Saint Laurent once said of her. Our smoked oyster and whipped cheese bite is, like these style muses, unfussy, unconventional, undeniable… a dream.

makes about a dozen small bites

1 crusty baguette
olive oil, to brush
1 garlic clove
7 to 8 oz farmer’s cheese
2 Tbsp whole milk
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
1 (3.7 oz) can smoked oysters
flaky salt for sprinkling
chives for garnish

1
Preheat oven to 350°F.
2
Thinly slice baguette into wispy-thin pieces and brush lightly with oil. Toast until just golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
3
In a food processor, with the blade running, drop the garlic into the shoot and let it bounce around until it’s finely chopped. Scrape down the sides and add the cheese, milk, lemon zest, and juice, and then process until smooth and whipped.
4
Just before serving, spread toasts with cheese. Briefly blot oysters on a paper towel and place one on each toast. Sprinkle with salt and some chives.