Northwest Oysters
Ingredients
Mignonette
- 1 shallot (diced small)
- seasoned rice vinegar
- fresh ground black pepper
Oysters
- 2 dozen Kumamoto oysters
- zest from one lemon
- fresh mint (for garnish)
- edible flowers (for garnish)
Directions
- Add the shallot and seasoned rice vinegar to a bowl and let sit for 20 minutes
- Meanwhile, scrub the outside the the oysters under cold running water removing any grit and sand with a bristle brush
- To open them up, you'll want to remove the bottom (flat) shell by sticking your shucking knife into the hinge of the oyster and prying open. I usually will hold the oyster in a folded kitchen towel to help grip the shells and protect my and in case my knife slips
- You'll then run your knife around the edge of the shell to cut open
- Try to reserve as much juice as possible and cut the oyster loose from the shell then place in ice
- Finish off the mignonette by adding lots of pepper
- Garnish the oysters with lemon zest, parsley and flowers
- Serve on ice with mignonette and enjoy!
Kumamoto Oysters
Nothing beats Kumamoto oysters! Kumies have a fresh, melon flavor and don’t need much dressing up and are perfect served with mignonette. Seafood always makes for a special treat when it comes to dining out, especially oysters. In our area, we didn’t always have access to the freshest fish. I’m happy to report that’s no longer the case. Now, almost all of our grocery stores carry fresh seafood – some of it even sushi grade!
I was intimidated by preparing oysters at home for the longest time. They’re covered in mud and grit and I only ever find them on menus of restaurants that would be considered fancy. The truth is that they’re easy to master at home as long as you follow a few simple rules.
Remember that oysters are living creatures. Make sure you store them in a cloth covered bowl in the fridge for no more than a few days. Keeping them in the bag from your market or grocery store will suffocate them – they shouldn’t be kept in anything airtight. Next, you’ll need a bristle brush to clean the shells and an oyster or pairing knife. If you’re planning on having oysters at home frequently though, I’d definitely invest in an oyster knife.
It’s all in the prep work
First, scrub the outside of your oysters under running cold water with a brush until you’ve removed all the mud. When preparing to cut open the oysters, pay attention to the top versus the bottom. The top of the oyster is flat with the bottom being more round. We’ll want to be removing the top and trying to preserve as many juices inside as we can. Hold your oyster with a clean kitchen towel and insert your knife into the hinge of the shell. Begin working the oyster open by rocking the blade back and forth. Take your time prying the shell open and finish loosening it apart by running the knife along the edges until the shells separate. Detach the oyster meat from the shell and keep in the bottom side. Place on ice while you finish shucking the rest of the oysters.
Serve with mignonette sauce and garnish with mint or parsley and edible flowers. Enjoy!
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