Shinkai and Oysters on the Half-Shell
Whether in food or in adventure, our great life-affirming moments often come when nature and sentience find themselves suddenly on intimate terms. Gulping a fresh oyster from the half-shell can be as exhilarating as sailing headlong into white-capped seas with only the song of steel-cold air in the rigging to keep you company. This is why I never tire of the fall season’s promise for new discoveries in oysters. I recently discovered the Totten Inlet Virginicas from the southern Puget Sound: minerally, fresh, and clean with a consistently firm meaty texture. Introducing Shinkai deep sea salt to the Totten was an opportunity for a culinary adventure I could not pass up. The mineral flavors of the oysters amplify the abundant steely flavors already apparent in the salt, and bring to light glints of sweetness and kelp that you might never find on your own. A drop of mignonette and a pinch of Shinkai deep sea salt; the sea god Neptune never had better.
Instead of a regular platter of crushed ice, chill a large block of Himalayan salt in the freezer for 6 hours and use it as a beautiful, dramatic serving platter that also keeps the oysters cool. See page 267 for more about using Himalayan salt blocks.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 2 to 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the vinegar and shallot in a small bowl suitable for serving and set aside.
Step 2
Put the oysters on a rimmed sheet pan and freeze for about 10 minutes to numb their adductor muscles; this will make them easier to open. To open, hold the oyster firmly, either in your hand or pressed down on a work surface, and work the point of an oyster knife between the tips of the shells to pop the shells apart. Run the knife along the inside of the top shell to cut the meat from the shell, and then remove the top shell. Run the knife under the oyster to detach it from the bottom shell, but leave the oyster nestled in the shell. The oyster’s liquor should be clear; cloudiness indicates that the oyster is not completely fresh and should be discarded, or at least regarded with suspicion. Pick out any shards of shell that might have broken loose during shucking.
Step 3
Add the pepper and parsley to the vinegar-shallot mixture. This is the mignonette.
Step 4
Arrange the oysters over crushed ice on a platter large enough to hold them in a single layer. Make a pile of the salt to one side of the oysters or in a separate dish and serve the bowl of mignonette alongside with a small spoon.
Step 5
To eat, spoon a drop or two of mignonette into an oyster shell and season with a pinch of salt. Immediately slide the oyster, salt, and sauce from the shell into your mouth.
