Oysters Recipe

Make mignonette (if not using store-bought)

Combine red wine vinegar, finely minced shallot, freshly cracked black pepper, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir and let sit at least 10 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust salt/pepper to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

Place cocktail sauce, prepared horseradish and hot sauce in small serving bowls. Cut lemons into wedges. Roughly chop parsley for garnish.

Rinse oysters under cold running water to remove grit. Discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped.

Fill the shallow serving platter with crushed ice to create a stable bed. Pack ice so oysters will sit level.

Protect one hand with a thick towel or wear a glove. Hold oyster cupped-side down (to retain liquor) and hinge (pointed end) toward you. Insert the tip of the oyster knife into the hinge and twist gently until you feel the shell pop.

Run the knife along the top shell to cut the muscle, then lift off the top shell. Tilt the oyster slightly to let any bits of shell or grit fall onto the top shell; discard these. Slide the knife under the oyster to sever the bottom muscle so the oyster sits free in the shell but retains its liquor.

Place each shucked oyster on the bed of crushed ice, liquor-side up, spacing them evenly across the platter.

Arrange lemon wedges, small bowls of mignonette and cocktail sauce, and a small dish of horseradish and hot sauce on the platter. Sprinkle chopped parsley lightly over the ice for garnish.

Serve oysters immediately chilled. Encourage diners to use a small fork or tip the shell to slurp the oyster, then add a drop of mignonette or a dab of cocktail sauce and a squeeze of lemon as desired.

Consume within 2 hours of shucking. Keep leftover unshucked oysters refrigerated at 35–40°F (1.5–4°C) and use within 24–48 hours. Discard any oyster with off smell or that fails to respond when tapped before shucking.