2 Portions | Preparation time 30 min
INGREDIENTS
12 oysters
1 lemon
Ice
DRESSING 1
1 shallot
50 ml of red wine vinegar
DRESSING 2
½ red onion
50 ml of white wine vinegar
INSTRUCTION
We buy fresh oysters, their shells must be firmly closed. Even if they are slightly open, they are not fit for consumption. When opened, the water in the shell must be clear and transparent and smell of the sea. Oysters retain their freshness for about 10 days after harvesting, provided they are properly stored. And the tastiest ones will be approx. 4 days after harvesting. Oysters must be kept cool, preferably on ice.
Each oyster shell shall be convex on one side and flat on the other. They should always be kept with the convex side facing down so that the juice in the shell does not flow out. Open the oysters half an hour before serving.
Start by gently rinsing the shells. To open the oysters you will need a special knife, a small, sharp knife with a pointed tip.
Keep the shell horizontal, with the convex side facing downwards. It is best to hold the oysters through a cloth so as not to cut yourself. Stick the tip of the knife into the ligament that connects the two halves of the shell. Turn the knife in a pendulum, to the left and right, undermining the upper shell until it opens. We will hear a characteristic sound. Then gently cut through the connecting muscle between the two shells and lift the upper one, removing it.
Pour out the water that is in the shell. Do not rinse! Then cut off the oyster from the shell and set aside on an iced platter on which you will serve the oysters. In the same way, we prepare the remaining shells.
While the oysters are waiting, they will pump out new, sweeter water for about 30 minutes. It is with this water that we eat oysters.
Cut the lemon into quarters and place it on a platter together with the oysters. Cut the shallot into small cubes and put into a bowl, then pour in the vinegar from red wine. Cut the red onion into
small cubes, put it into a bowl and pour over with white wine vinegar.
Eat oysters sprinkled with lemon juice and one of the dressings. They also taste great with lemon and a drop of olive oil.
