How to Open an Oyster
What you’ll need
Clean scrubbing brush
Tea towel
Oyster knife
Shell tray filled with crushed ice
Scrub up
With the scrubbing brush, give the outside of the oysters a brush to remove any dirt or seaweed, and rinse under cold running water. This is an im- portant step as you don’t want any of that de- bris entering the oyster as you open it. Give each oyster a tap by knocking it against the counter. Discard any that fail to close or any that are unusually heavy or light.
Keep it safe
Fold the tea towel along the length in thirds so you have a long band. Now place this band on a solid sur- face like a cutting board and place the four fingers of your non-dominant hand over it. Slip the remaining part of the band over your thumb to make a protective pad for your thumb (in case your knife slips) and an area to hold the oyster.
Get in there
Grip the oyster, with the flat side up, so that the hinged end is facing outward. Insert the tip of the oyster knife near the hinge and prise it open by twisting the knife.
Release the oyster
Once you have opened the hinge, transfer the oyster so it is sitting in your palm. Wipe the knife against the tea towel to remove any debris that may have accumu- lated on the knife tip when the hinge was opened. To sever the fibrous muscle that attaches the oyster to the shell, run the knife around the oyster holding it close to the inside of the flat shell as you turn the oyster in your palm. Discard the shell and run your knife around the bottom shell to fully release the oyster. Arrange on a bed of ice.
Eating raw oysters
A tray of oysters is wonderful served with various garnishes from horseradish and cocktail sauce to hot sauce. But make sure you also include a simple and delicate mignonette sauce that doesn’t overpower the flavour of the oysters.
Spicy shallot mignonette
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/8 teaspoon chile flakes
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Stir all the ingredients together and chill for about 4 hours. Drizzle over raw oyster.
Apple and elderflower mignonette
¼ cup elderflower vinegar (we used Le Meadow’s Pantry)
2 tablespoons finely diced shallot
1 tablespoon finely diced apple
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Drizzle on raw oysters.
Grilled oyster
If raw isn’t your thing, put your new-found shucking skills to the test with this preparation.
¼ cup butter, soft
3 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Lemon juice
12 Pacific oysters, shucked
2 tablespoons orange zest
Mix butter, breadcrumbs, garlic, paprika and parsley to make a paste. Place shucked oysters in a heatproof dish and spoon ½ teaspoon of mixture onto each oyster. You can use a small amount of salt under each oyster to help keep them level. Place under a hot element for 2 minutes or until breadcrumbs are brown and the oysters’ edges begin to curl.
Garnish with orange zest and serve immediately.
