Oysters & Spicy Mignonette

We love oysters freshly shucked with nothing more than a generous squeeze of lemon juice drizzled over the top.  Sometimes, though, we crave a spicy mignonette like the “Hogwash” served at Hog Island Oyster Company. It’s bursting with lime, Jalapeno, and cilantro flavor. This Asian twist on a mignonette is great on larger and brinier oysters. We love the way all the flavors come together.

We love to eat them outside when the weather is nice, plus it keeps the mess out of the house. Last weekend, there was a Justin Timberlake concert across the street at AT&T park, so we decided to make these cocktails, pick up some oysters, and sit on the patio while he serenaded us from afar.

We started with Yuzu Rice vinegar for a tart, citrusy base, then added this seasoned rice vinegar for added complexity. Next, we added a generous tablespoon of minced shallot (see how here), juice of a lime (use this, it’s easiest), and add minced jalapeno pepper and cilantro to your liking.

A few tips: be sure to seed the jalapeno so the heat doesn’t overpower the rest of the ingredients (this knife works best for scraping them out) and make it a few hours ahead of serving to let the flavors combine (we use these jars to keep it in the fridge, and for lots of other small kitchen tasks). Make only the amount you need (sample proportions in the recipe below) since it won’t keep, especially after serving it with raw oysters.

If you’re looking for a good sucking knife, this is Clayton’s favorite. For wine, we recommend pairing oysters with a crisp sauvignon blanc, rosé, or bubbles. Get more oyster inspiration here, and more of our favorite ways to serve them here and here.