Prep time
15 mins
Cooking Time
3 mins
Serves
2
Ingredients
6 MSC certified oysters
Basic Recipe:
Sea salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Lemon juice (optional)
Tabasco (optional)
For Cornish oysters:
Butter
Breadcrumbs
Freshly ground black pepper
Chives
Parsley
To serve:
Lemon wedges
Fresh brown bread and butter
For Grilled Creamed Lindisfarne Oysters:
Basic Recipe:
Sea salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Lemon juice (optional)
Tabasco (optional)
For Cornish oysters:
Butter
Breadcrumbs
Freshly ground black pepper
Chives
Parsley
To serve:
Lemon wedges
Fresh brown bread and butter
For Grilled Creamed Lindisfarne Oysters:
Double cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated parmesan
To serve:
Fresh bread
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated parmesan
To serve:
Fresh bread
Method
How to open oysters and a basic recipe:
Oysters are probably the best-known aphrodisiac and, although they aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, I love them! They’re available year-round, but the best time to eat them is in the depths of winter when the ocean is icy cold and they are plump and juicy.
1. British oysters are fantastic and great value. There are two main types available – rock oysters and native oysters – and MSC certified options are available for each of these. Both species would make a great starter to a romantic dinner.
2. When you buy them, make sure that they are tightly closed and heavy in the hand. Ideally, oysters should be straight out of the sea when you eat them. Give them a rinse in cold water before you start preparing them – this can be tricky so please be very careful!
3. To open them, you’ll need an oyster knife which is short, thick and quite blunt. Do not use a normal kitchen knife! A screwdriver is probably a better bet if you don’t have an oyster knife.
4. Hold the oyster curved-side down on a chopping board with a folded kitchen cloth between the shell and your hand. This is to help you get a good grip and protect your hand.
5. Look for the hinge between the top shell and the bottom shell, and poke the knife tip into the crack. You need to push quite hard and work it in there but eventually you should be able to prise the top shell off. It’s not always that easy so it might be a good idea to try a few before dinner to get the hang of it. Wear an apron too in case you get dirty.
6. When you get the oyster open, throw away the top shell. If there is any seawater in the bottom shell with the oyster, try and keep it in there. Pick out any fragments of shell and place the oyster on a plate with a mound of rock salt or crushed ice in the middle. Do the same with the other 5 oysters.
7. Serve the oysters with the optional accompaniments, or other options of your choosing, and season to your liking just before tipping into your mouth!
Cornish Oysters:
Fry breadcrumbs in butter until crisp and golden. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, black pepper, chives and parsley over the oysters. Grill under a preheated grill for 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and brown bread and butter.
Grilled Creamed Lindisfarne Oysters:
Put a spoonful of cream over each oyster, with a sprinkling of pepper and a little parmesan. Grill under a preheated grill for approx. 3 mins. Serve with bread.
Oysters are probably the best-known aphrodisiac and, although they aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, I love them! They’re available year-round, but the best time to eat them is in the depths of winter when the ocean is icy cold and they are plump and juicy.
1. British oysters are fantastic and great value. There are two main types available – rock oysters and native oysters – and MSC certified options are available for each of these. Both species would make a great starter to a romantic dinner.
2. When you buy them, make sure that they are tightly closed and heavy in the hand. Ideally, oysters should be straight out of the sea when you eat them. Give them a rinse in cold water before you start preparing them – this can be tricky so please be very careful!
3. To open them, you’ll need an oyster knife which is short, thick and quite blunt. Do not use a normal kitchen knife! A screwdriver is probably a better bet if you don’t have an oyster knife.
4. Hold the oyster curved-side down on a chopping board with a folded kitchen cloth between the shell and your hand. This is to help you get a good grip and protect your hand.
5. Look for the hinge between the top shell and the bottom shell, and poke the knife tip into the crack. You need to push quite hard and work it in there but eventually you should be able to prise the top shell off. It’s not always that easy so it might be a good idea to try a few before dinner to get the hang of it. Wear an apron too in case you get dirty.
6. When you get the oyster open, throw away the top shell. If there is any seawater in the bottom shell with the oyster, try and keep it in there. Pick out any fragments of shell and place the oyster on a plate with a mound of rock salt or crushed ice in the middle. Do the same with the other 5 oysters.
7. Serve the oysters with the optional accompaniments, or other options of your choosing, and season to your liking just before tipping into your mouth!
Cornish Oysters:
Fry breadcrumbs in butter until crisp and golden. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, black pepper, chives and parsley over the oysters. Grill under a preheated grill for 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and brown bread and butter.
Grilled Creamed Lindisfarne Oysters:
Put a spoonful of cream over each oyster, with a sprinkling of pepper and a little parmesan. Grill under a preheated grill for approx. 3 mins. Serve with bread.