Mersea Island Oysters with Shallot Vinegar
Plump, briny Mersea Island oysters served chilled on the half shell with a sharp shallot mignonette vinegar and fresh lemon wedges.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 210 kcal
Equipment
- •Oyster knife
- •Clean tea towel
- •Small mixing bowl
- •Serving platter
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- fat
- 9 g
- carbs
- 18 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 210 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Peel and very finely dice the shallots into tiny, uniform cubes.
- 2
Whisk the red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, caster sugar, sea salt, and cracked black pepper together in a small bowl.
- 3
Stir the diced shallots into the vinegar mixture and leave to macerate (soften in acid) for at least 20 minutes.
- 4
Scrub the oyster shells thoroughly under cold running water to remove any sand or debris.
- 5
Fold a clean tea towel several times to protect your holding hand whilst shucking.
- 6
Place an oyster flat-side up in the cloth and insert the oyster knife firmly into the hinge (the pointed back joint).
- 7
Twist the knife with steady pressure until the hinge pops open.
- 8
Slide the blade flat along the inside roof of the top shell to sever the adductor muscle, then remove and discard the top shell.
- 9
Slide the knife gently under the oyster meat in the bottom shell to loosen it, taking care not to spill the precious oyster liquor.
- 10
Spread the crushed ice over a large serving platter to keep the shells upright and cold.
- 11
Nestle the open oysters firmly into the ice alongside the bowl of shallot vinegar and lemon wedges.
- 12
Serve immediately with slices of buttered granary bread.
Chef's tips
Always keep oysters cold and flat before opening so they retain their natural seawater liquor. If any oyster smells off or is already gaping open and will not close when tapped, discard it immediately. Prepare the shallot vinegar an hour ahead to let the allium flavour infuse deeply into the vinegar.
Ingredient substitutions
- Mersea Island oysters → Colchester native oysters or rock oysters
- red wine vinegar → sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
- granary bread → soda bread or rye bread
Storage
Consume immediately upon opening; keep unopened live oysters chilled on ice in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
This dish is served entirely raw and chilled, so it should not be reheated.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rinsing the opened oysters under tap water, which washes away the delicious natural brine.
- •Cutting shallot pieces too coarsely, overpowering the delicate oyster meat.
- •Shucking without a protective cloth, risking a slipping knife blade.
Serving suggestions
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