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Oysters with Champagne-Vinegar Mignonette

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Oysters with Champagne-Vinegar MignonetteMartyn Thompson

In this elegant introduction to dinner, oysters are paired with Champagne grapes, whose sweet juice balances the sharpness of the vinegar in the mignonnette.

Cooks' note:

Mignonnette, without parsley, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    40 min

  • Yield

    Makes 2 first-course servings

Ingredients

For mignonnette

2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot
Pinch of coarsely ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For oysters

1 1/2 cups kosher or other coarse salt
1/2 dozen small oysters, such as Kumamoto or Prince Edward Island, shells scrubbed well and oysters left on the half shell, their liquor reserved and oysters picked over for shell fragments
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 small cluster Champagne table grapes or 2 finely diced seedless red grapes

Preparation

  1. Make mignonnette:

    Step 1

    Stir together vinegar, shallot, pepper, and sugar and let stand 30 minutes.

  2. Prepare oysters:

    Step 2

    Preheat broiler.

    Step 3

    Spread 3/4 cup salt in an 8- to 10-inch flameproof shallow baking dish or pan. Arrange oysters on their shells in salt, then top each with a piece of butter.

    Step 4

    Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until butter is melted and sizzling and edges of oysters are beginning to curl, 1 to 2 minutes.

    Step 5

    Stir parsley into mignonnette. Divide remaining 3/4 cup salt between 2 plates and arrange 3 oysters on each. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon mignonnette over each oyster and sprinkle oysters with grapes. Serve warm.

TagsOysterShellfishSeafoodGrapeFruitStarterSnackDinnerGluten FreeNut FreeBroilNew YearsGourmet

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