Oysters, 3 Ways

harvest // blog issue 12.

Dressing Freshly Shucked Oysters

Oysters would have to be one of the most distinct, divisive, acquired and in my eyes, desirable tastes on earth. Oysters possess a sharp briny hint of sea salt flavor, that gives way to a subtle sweetness and creamy texture (depending on their size, species and origin). Here are 3 diverse accompaniments for lovers of these delicate crustaceans. Oysters pair well with some (not all) white wines. Read on for our suggestions on what to sip and savor on a summer’s day. If you recognise the wine label above, it’s not only Champagne and Chablis.

🍽 Serves 24 | 🕒 Prep Time: 30 min | 🔪 Skill Level: Easy

Ingredients

Ginger, Soy, Cucumber and Australian Finger Lime

1 tbsp tamari

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

½ tsp ginger, finely grated

½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, very finely diced

4 Australian Finger Limes

½ stem dill, for garnish

Pomegranate and Champagne Mignonette

¼ cup champagne vinegar

1 tsp pomegranate juice

¼ shallot, finely minced

1 scallion

Lemon

2 lemons, finely grated

Method

Ginger, Soy, Cucumber and Australian Finger Lime

Combine tamari, sushi vinegar and grated ginger and allow to rest for 1 hour.
With a peeler, remove the skin of the cucumber. With a mandolin, slice ¼ inch thick ribbons, stack ribbons and with a knife, slice ¼ wide strips lengthways. Finally, lay strips lengthways and cut ¼ inch diced cubes. Refrigerate to maintain crunch.
Extract finger lime pearls from finger limes by slicing lengthways and remove ‘caviar-like’ pearls with a spoon or your finger.
Assemble oysters with 1 teaspoon of soy and ginger syrup and garnish with cucumber, finger lime pearls and a small pinch of dill.

Pomegranate and Champagne Mignonette

Beginners: Sharpen your knife skills with a 2 min tutorial on the fundamentals of finely mincing a shallot. For this recipe, a super fine dice provides nicer presentation, a finer texture to complement the oyster and will not taste bitter and peppery.
In a small frying pan combine vinegar, pomegranate juice and minced shallot and simmer on low-to-medium heart to slightly soften the shallot (1 minute). Allow to cool and spoon onto oysters.
For scallion garnish, slice a scallion in half lengthways. Flatten out each half of the scallion and cut thin long diagonal ribbons down the length of your scallion, place ribbons in iced water for 30 minutes to curl. Top each oyster with 1 or 2 scallion ribbons. Refrigerate scallion ribbons for up to one week in a plastic container lined with wet paper towel.

Lemon

Grate fresh lemon zest over the oyster just before serving to shower oyster in lemon rind and fragrant oils. Do not grate ahead of time. You will lose the delicious oils. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Cheers!

Wine Pairing

Wines that pair particularly well with oysters are dry, acid driven wines and those that share similar characteristics with shellfish or, the condiments with which you’re serving them. Oysters have a rich creaminess to their body. A wine with bright acidity and mineral accents, helps accentuate the clean taste of the ocean, while simultaneously cleansing the fat from your palate to enjoy it all over again.

Oysters and Bubbles is without doubt the most fabulous pairing. Champagne, Spanish Cava, Italian Franciacorta, Tasmanian Méthode Traditionnelle or any other premium sparkling all possess the sophisticated finesse of fine grain bubbles. My preference is bone-dry Blanc de Blancs Champagne.

Two worldly alternatives to Champagne including Southern English and Tasmanian sparkling wine, which are on the rise as committed winemakers continue to refine their style and sophistication year over year. Interestingly, Global warming has attributed to warmer than usual ripening temperatures in these historically cool regions. In turn, this has favored enhanced fruit sugar and flavor maturation to levels necessary to replicate Champagne-style wine. Forget the recipes above and try a splash of sparkling on your oyster as a substitute for fresh lemon. Mm!

90+ point Tassie Cuvées: House of Arras | Domaine Chandon Tasmanian Cuvée | Pirie

Chablis is a Chardonnay based wine grown in the northernmost province of Burgundy, France. Walk through the vineyard soils of Chablis valley to the sound of crunching fossilized shells and marine life debris underfoot. This ocean deposit-rich limestone is known as "Kimmeridigian" soil lending to Chablis’ hallmark chalky, briny minerality. Chablis’ distinct crisp sea spray aroma, piquant green apple, lemon and white floral finesse make it a quintessential shellfish wine.

Some alternatives include a slightly more fruit-forward style white, such as an Australian Hunter Valley Semillon which offers additional flavor while still balanced with fresh citrus and a dry finish. Txakolina from Spain’s Basque Country is a slightly effervescent dry white wine. Txakoli is a must try for a fun and invigorating wine singing with high-toned (bordering sour) acidity and minerality.

Last but not least, is a slightly left-of-field pairing suggestion. Well crafted French Sauternes displays balanced acid and sweetness. You’re going to have to believe us when we say this is a wildly appetising accompaniment to fresh oysters, offering a very colorful and juicy contrast to the brininess.