Oysters on the Half Shell with Yuzu Mignonette

by

Appears in Treme: Stories and Recipes from the Heart of New Orleans by Lolis Eric Elie. Read our review.

Yuzu is a citrus fruit you seldom see in the United States, and its flavor is different from any citrus you ever tasted. Getting the fruit on this side of the Pacific is difficult, but getting the juice at a good Asian market isn’t so hard anymore.

Yield: 4 servings, as appetizer

Ingredients:

6 tbsp. yuzu juice 
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar 
1 small shallot, minced 
2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 
2 dozen fresh oysters on the half shell, well chilled 
crushed ice for serving (optional) 

Method:
  1. In a bowl, stir together the yuzu juice, vinegar, shallot, and pepper until well mixed. Transfer the mignonette sauce to a small serving bowl.
  2. Arrange the oysters on a platter. Nestle them in a bed of crushed ice, if you like, for a pretty presentation and to keep them perfectly cold.
  3. Tuck the bowl of mignon- ette on the platter or place alongside at the table. Serve right away.