Oysters on the Half Shell with Mignonette
Raw oysters shucked to order and topped with a sharp shallot-vinegar mignonette, no stove involved at any point.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Written
Method
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Stir the vinegar, shallot, and cracked pepper together and let it sit at least 15 minutes so the shallot mellows.
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Holding each oyster flat-side up in a folded towel, work an oyster knife into the hinge and twist until it pops.
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Slide the knife along the top shell to sever the muscle, then lift the shell away without spilling the liquor.
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Run the knife under the oyster to free it from the bottom shell, keeping it sitting in its liquor.
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Nestle the shucked oysters into a bed of crushed ice, spoon a little mignonette over each, and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
The mignonette needs to steep before the oysters come out of the shell — do it too close to serving and the shallot still bites instead of rounding out. Buy from a fishmonger who can tell you the harvest date, and keep the oysters on ice right up until you shuck them.
Cupped, briny East Coast varieties hold their liquor better under a knife than flatter West Coast ones, which makes them more forgiving for a first attempt at shucking. Save the mignonette recipe — it’s just as good over a dozen shucked and chilled ahead for a party, spooned on right before they hit the table.