Oysters on the half shell is a simple, elegant appetizer. Mignonette is a simple oyster sauce recipe to serve with the shucked oysters and takes 5 minutes to prepare.
Combine 1 shallot, 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, 4 tablespoons champagne vinegar,4 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves in a small bowl. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.
SHUCK THE OYSTERS:
Hold the oyster with a clean dish towel and insert the oyster knife into the hinge of the oyster, twist until it pops. Run the blade of the knife along the top and bottom of the shell to dislodge the oyster, being careful to preserve the liquor in the shell.
TO SERVE OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL:
Line a serving platter with crushed ice. Nestle the oysters in the ice to keep them chilled and upright so you don't lose any oyster liquor.
Another option for serving is using a bed of rock salt. The coarse salt will create a shallow cavity to hold the oysters upright so the liquid doesn't leak. However, it won't keep the oysters cold. I recommend using this for smaller quantities of a dozen or fewer so they can be eaten quickly.
Spoon a little mignonette onto an oyster in its shell, or serve with other optional condiments.