By Randy Clemens
Photo by Felicia Friesema
A mignonette is a classic French sauce that accompanies oysters, consisting of a simple blend of shallots, herbs, and vinegar. But when I heard that theSummer 2012 issue of EdibleWestside had an article on Carlsbad Aquafarm alongside my piece on
Photo by Felicia Friesema
A mignonette is a classic French sauce that accompanies oysters, consisting of a simple blend of shallots, herbs, and vinegar. But when I heard that theSummer 2012 issue of EdibleWestside had an article on Carlsbad Aquafarm alongside my piece on
sour and spontaneously fermented beers... I knew I had to share this recipe! The bright zip of the sour beer with the creamy, briny sweetness of oysters is a match made in culinary heaven.
For beer selection, Hottenroth Berliner Weisse or Sour in the Rye from The Bruery would work well, as would Temptation from Russian River Brewing Co. Belgian lambics or gueuzes, such as Cantillon Gueuze, St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition, Girardin Gueuze 1882, Oude Geuze Boon, or Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René would be excellent.
Just be sure to choose a sour beer that hasn’t had any fruit added to it (like cherries or raspberries).
1 dozen large oysters on the half shell
3/4 cup sour beer
1 large shallot, peeled and finely minced
1/2 Persian cucumber, finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Several turns fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour beer, shallot, cucumber, sugar, and pepper. Cover and let sit, refrigerated, for at least an hour to allow the flavors to combine. When ready to serve, stir in the parsley.
For raw oysters, simply spoon some of the mignonette over each oyster, and shoot!
If you prefer cooked oysters, broil them with a dab of butter about 4 inches away from the flame, and cook just until the butter is melted and starts to bubble, and the sides of each oyster begin to curl, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oven, spoon some of the mignonette over each, and serve immediately.
And of course, drink the beer that’s left in the bottle along with your oysters! (Duh.)
For beer selection, Hottenroth Berliner Weisse or Sour in the Rye from The Bruery would work well, as would Temptation from Russian River Brewing Co. Belgian lambics or gueuzes, such as Cantillon Gueuze, St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition, Girardin Gueuze 1882, Oude Geuze Boon, or Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René would be excellent.
Just be sure to choose a sour beer that hasn’t had any fruit added to it (like cherries or raspberries).
1 dozen large oysters on the half shell
3/4 cup sour beer
1 large shallot, peeled and finely minced
1/2 Persian cucumber, finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Several turns fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour beer, shallot, cucumber, sugar, and pepper. Cover and let sit, refrigerated, for at least an hour to allow the flavors to combine. When ready to serve, stir in the parsley.
For raw oysters, simply spoon some of the mignonette over each oyster, and shoot!
If you prefer cooked oysters, broil them with a dab of butter about 4 inches away from the flame, and cook just until the butter is melted and starts to bubble, and the sides of each oyster begin to curl, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oven, spoon some of the mignonette over each, and serve immediately.
And of course, drink the beer that’s left in the bottle along with your oysters! (Duh.)