Washington Oysters on the Half Shell with Three Mignonettes

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

I know oysters on the half shell are not for everyone. I have heard time and time again that the texture is slimy, that they taste like the ocean and that they do not look appetizing. I beg to differ on two of the three counts. I have been known to enjoy an oyster shooter now and again and I also enjoy pan-fried oysters. Yes, they do taste a bit like the ocean but isn't that the point? It's a shellfish for goodness sake! I understand that the texture can be a bit daunting at first, but once you accept the texture and move through it, oysters are delicious. Although I am excited to try this oyster recipe, it is too much of a leap for Brad. Raw oysters are not something that he prefers so I will be the only one eating them tonight.

The recipe I chose is from a Tom Douglas cookbook. One thing I like about his books is that they often include technical instructions. I have never shucked an oyster so I really appreciate the fact that he included step-by-step instructions for shucking properly.

1. Stick oyster knife in at hinge while holding oyster down on counter with your other hand, then twist knife.

2. Pull back and clean knife of dirt and broken shell.

3. Return knife to oyster and, with blade angled toward top of shell, slice through length of oyster.

4. Remove top shell.

5. Clean away dirt or bits of shell on oyster.

6. Scoop under oyster and cut bottom muscle.

7. Place oyster on bed of crushed ice.

The recipe cautions the cook to take time and to try not to rush things as not to cut into the oyster. According to Tom Douglas, the important thing is that the shucked oyster is clean and pristine, with no little bits of shell or dirt. I must say, I shucked with flying colors. The instructions were spot on and I was able to shuck all twelve without any big hitches. So, now that I know how to shuck an oyster, on to the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 dozen oysters; scrubbed, rinsed and shucked

1 lemon, cut into wedges

For Classic Mignonette Sauce-

1/4 cup Champagne vinegar

1 Tbsp minced shallots

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

freshly ground black pepper

For Tabasco Mignonette-

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp minced shallots

3/4 tsp honey

1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce

1 tsp Asian fish sauce

freshly ground black pepper

For Sake Mignonette-

2 Tbsp sake

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger

freshly ground black pepper

For each mignonette, combine ingredients in small bowl. On the plate, serve oysters on the half shell over a bed of crushed ice with small ramekins of mignonettes and lemon wedges. Oysters also look beautiful served on bed of seaweed and ice. Mignonettes can be made several hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Makes 2 servings.

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

I prepared the mignonettes the evening prior to serving the oysters. They kept in the refrigerator beautifully so it was a good move on my part. I was feeling a bit lazy about getting started so I decided to break the preparation into phases. This left me with only shucking and arranging for today's tasks. So in an oyster shell (sorry for the bad pun but I am my father's daughter), I enjoyed all six of the oysters that I tried. I was surprised by the creaminess of the oysters and the flavor was quite fresh. My favorite mignonette was probably the classic although all three were tasty and it was nice to have a choice with each oyster. For the classic, I went with cider vinegar instead of champagne vinegar. I used Live Evening Cove Oysters that are harvested just north of Washington, around Vancouver Island, BC. Although I planned on using Washington's famous Willapa Bay Oysters, Live Evening Cove came highly recommended by Seattle Fish Company so I went with the recommendation. These were the only deviations from the original recipe.