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Oysters Mignonette

by Emily Scott from Home Shores

Enjoy a taste of the sea from the comfort of your home with these delicious oysters. They are wonderfully paired with a punchy mignonette dressing made of shallots and sherry vinegar.

From the book

Emily Scott

Introduction

There is nothing better than the salty hit of a fresh oyster. I remember my first encounter with one as a child. The sense of trepidation as I was instructed how to eat it and then cheered on to do so. They are much cheaper to eat at home and go gloriously with a bottle of fizz. So, people, get shucking!

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Ingredients

2-4 oysters per person
crushed ice, to serve
For the mignonette dressing:
2 banana shallots, finely diced
100ml (3½fl oz/scant ½ cup) sherry vinegar
pinch of sea salt
handful of tarragon leaves

Method

Combine the shallots and vinegar in a small bowl, add a pinch of salt and set aside.

To shuck the oysters, hold one firmly in a clean dish towel and insert an oyster knife at the base of the shell’s hinge. Keep the oyster flat so you do not lose any juices. Move the oyster on the knife, twisting it as you do. Run the knife back through the shell and lift off the top half. Slide the knife underneath the oyster to release the muscle from the shell. Check for any fragments of shell.

Serve the half-shell oysters on a bed of crushed ice, topped with a tarragon leaf and the mignonette dressing on the side.

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