There's no better time in the Pacific Northwest to enjoy the briny hit of an oyster than the dead of winter. While the winds whip the midnight-teal waters into gentle waves, below the surface, the oysters have recovered from their summer spawn to boast firmer, more flavorful flesh. I like to keep my garnish simple so the flavor of the oyster shines through. This grapefruit-laced mignonette adds the perfect hit of acid and flush of color to a dozen of the freshest oysters you can find. My favorites are from Taylor Shellfish Company, who created the Shigoku (meaning ultimate in Japanese) in 2009, but your favorite variety will be perfect here.
Ingredients
1 dozen oysters (I love Shigokus)
1 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 1/2 Tbsp Champagne vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp minced shallot
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Directions
Combine the juice, vinegar, salt and shallot and blend—you can use a blender, food processor or stick blender.
Pour the mignonette into a shallow dish like a 1/8 sheet pan and place the dish in the freezer. After 30 minutes, when the top layer of liquid has frozen, scrape the mixture with a fork. Freeze for another 30 minutes and scrape again. If the mixture has fully frozen at this point, it's ready to use! If not, freeze for another 30 minutes, then scrape and serve.
Plate the oysters on a bed of crushed ice or extra coarse sea salt. Top with a mound of mignonette granita.
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