Romantic Recipe: Oysters with Cider-Ginger Mignonette

For a lot of food lovers, a cold, fresh, well-shucked oyster is about as sexy as it gets. Our idea of a perfect meal is a glass of cider in one hand and a Cape May Salt in the other (okay, and a cheese plate … gotta have a cheese plate).

Much like Champagne and oysters, Cider and oysters are a natural pairing: the balanced sweetness and effervescence of the one with the sharp, briny pop of the other. As we always like a little drizzle of vinegary mignonettes on our oysters, we decided to add cider to the mix in another way, as a unique dressing for my favorite fruit of the sea.

This recipe is easy to make and is sure to win over the cider and/or oyster lover in your life!

Pro tip: Ask your favorite fishmonger to shuck the oysters for you if you’re new to the at-home oyster game. It’ll save time, you’ll end up with cleaner oysters and it’s much safer (trust us).

Pro tip #2: If you have time, make the mignonette sauce a granita (that’s just a fancy word for slushie). The sweetness of the cider and the bite of ginger in the granita makes this a perfectly wonderful variation that’s totally worth the effort. Add Wasabi Capelin Caviar for an awesome fire and ice combo.

Oysters with Cider-Ginger Mignonette

Ingredients

  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of your favorite sweet or semi-sweet cider
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root (freeze it fully before zesting for ginger “snow” that melts into the liquid)
  • Large pinch kosher salt
  • Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Method

Whisk all ingredients together and serve with one dozen oysters on the half shell.

Make It a Granita

  1. Place the mignonette into an airtight container and pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes or until icy around the edges.
  2. Use a fork to roughly break up the mixture.
  3. Cover and place in the freezer for an additional 4 hours.
  4. Continue using a fork to break the mixture into coarse crystals every 30 minutes, or until firm.
  5. Top with Wasabi Capelin Caviar for added texture, heat and mouth-tingling thrills.
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