Lately he’s been bringing a few dozen with him when he comes to visit. The oyster eaters among us gather and have quite the feast when he arrives.
What Is Mignonette Sauce?
My favorite accompaniment to fresh, raw oysters is this mignonette—a piquant sauce made with vinegar and shallots that you sprinkle on top of the oyster, much like a squeeze of lemon juice. It’s a lovely balance to the briny, somewhat creamy oysters.
An Oyster Sauce with French Roots
The recipe comes by way of my French sweetheart, who grew up on oysters in the South of France. This is his cherished mignonette recipe which he makes every time we have a gathering to enjoy oysters. By the way, according to him, “mignonette” translates roughly into “cute, small, and tasty”, and that’s exactly what this is.
Pair Your Raw Oysters with These Seafood Appetizers
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You can also finely mince by hand if you wish. The advantage of using a food processor is that the food processor bowl captures all of the liquid released by the shallots as they are minced, which will enhance the flavor of the mignonette. Add the freshly crushed white pepper. Stir with a fork. The mignonette flavor will be better blended the longer it sits. You may notice that the crushed white peppercorns may sink to the bottom of the bowl as the mignonette rests. If you see this, just give it a little stir. The mignonette will last up to a month in the refrigerator. To serve, shuck the oysters. (Here is an excellent video by Serious Eats on How to Shuck an Oyster.) Make sure that the oyster is loose in the shell before serving. Usually the mignonette sauce is served in a small bowl with a small spoon, alongside the oysters on a platter (or as the French say, “plateau de coquillages”). People can scoop a small amount of the mignonette (1/8 of a teaspoon or so) onto their oyster before eating.
