When I was tiny a family friend paid me R20 (which was A LOT back then) to eat an oyster because I thought they were the nastiest things i’d ever seen. Today the husband has to stop me ordering more before we have to declare bankruptcy.
My favourite places to eat oysters in Cape Town are Chefs Warehouse and The Duchess of Wisbeach. So this weekend after many an oyster and many a bottle of wine I called up my favourite fish shop to place an order for some fresh oysters that we could enjoy at home.
I am a big fan of just a squeeze of lemon and a tiny dash of Tabasco. But for the sake of some fun i’ve done them three ways. Mignonette which is a classic, a punchy Asian style sauce and Bloody Mary oysters. I got the idea of the Bloody Mary oyster from Sweet Paul Magazine and had to try it. I did mine a bit differently but it’s definitely a winning idea.
Oysters 3 ways
each recipe makes enough for a dozen oysters
Mignonette:
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sushi vinegar
- freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients and allow to to sit for at least an hour before drizzling over freshly shucked oysters.
Asian:
- 1 Tbsp pickled ginger, finely sliced
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sushi vinegar
- squeeze of fresh lime juice
- dash of Sriracha
- finely sliced spring onions
Combine all the ingredients and spoon onto freshly shucked oysters.
Bloody Mary:
- 60ml tomato juice
- dash of Worcestershire sauce
- about 10 good dashes of Tabasco
- squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 celery stick, finely diced
Combine everything except the celery. Dress oysters with the sauce and then finish with a sprinkle of the diced celery.
If shucking your own oysters is a tad daunting head over to Serious Eats for the very best oyster shucking step-by-step guide i’ve ever come across. (picture a big thumbs up emoji)
Bon appétit!
