This is a very simple and refreshing amuse bouche that I served as part of my 1930 Parisian supper club (see menu below) at Brown and Green, Crystal Palace. The shucking is the hard part, but once you have mastered it, you have skill for life! I bought these Carlingford oysters from Fishmonger’s Plaice in Crystal Palace. See my vegan alternative recipe here.
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Serves 4
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3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 pink shallot, very finely chopped
4 oysters in shell
crushed ice, to serve
4 saucers
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In a small pot, combine the vinegar and shallot and cover with an airtight wrap. Chill until needed.
To shuck the oysters, wear metal oyster shucking gloves to protect your hands from the knife slipping and the oyster shells. Hold the oyster flat-side up in your less dominant hand with the tip of the oyster to the middle. Manoeuvre a shucking knife or a strong small knife without a sharp tip within the tip of the oyster to lever where the shell joins apart. This can take 1-2 mins to do. Be careful not to get any shell in the oyster water and if you do, remove with a teaspoon. Slip the knife around the oyster to cut it away from where it joins the shell. Make sure the oyster is completely separate from the shell. Place the oyster in its shell on a plate and continue to shuck the remaining oysters. Discard the flat sides of the shells.
If you have any oysters that are open already or cracked, or have no liquid within them, discard them. It’s a good idea to buy a few extra than what you need.
Place around 30g of crushed ice on each saucer and put an oyster on each. Spoon around one tablespoon of shallot mixture into each oyster and serve immediately.
