Oysters with red wine shallot mignonette, fresh horseradish and lemon

Serves - 4 as a starter, or makes 12 oysters

You’ll need

• 12 fresh oysters
• Crushed ice, for serving
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

For the red wine shallot mignonette
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the horseradish
• 1 small piece fresh horseradish root, peeled
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Make the mignonette

In a small bowl, stir together the red wine vinegar, finely chopped shallot and a generous grind of black pepper. Leave it to sit for 10–15 minutes if you have the time so the shallot softens slightly and the whole thing settles into itself. It should taste sharp, punchy and properly classic.

2. Prepare the horseradish

Finely grate the fresh horseradish into a small bowl and mix with the lemon juice. This keeps it bright and stops it discolouring too quickly. You only need a little, but it does want to make its presence known.

3. Get the oysters ready

Scrub the oysters under cold water and keep them chilled until you are ready to serve. Using an oyster knife and a folded tea towel for grip, carefully shuck each oyster, keeping as much of the natural liquor in the shell as possible. Loosen the oyster from the shell if needed, but leave it sitting neatly in the deeper half.

4. Arrange them properly

Spread crushed ice over a platter or tray and nestle the oysters into it so they sit level and stay cold. This is not just for looks, though it does help on that front as well.

5. Serve

Serve the oysters with the red wine shallot mignonette, the fresh grated horseradish and lemon wedges alongside. Let everyone add what they like – a little spoonful of mignonette, a tiny amount of horseradish, or just lemon if they want to keep things very clean and simple.

A couple of helpful notes

- Oysters should smell clean and fresh, like the sea, not aggressively fishy. If one seems off, do not take chances with it.
- Fresh horseradish is stronger and brighter than jarred, so start with a little and let it do its work.
- An oyster platter always feels more generous if you keep everything very cold right up until serving.