Mignonette and Cocktail Sauces for Oysters
MIGNONETTE
This simple sauce is perfect for oysters and other raw seafood, when you want the fresh flavor of the sea to come out.
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup sparkling white wine, Prosecco or Champagne
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon coarsely ground white or black peppercorns
sea salt to taste
Shortly before serving, mix together the ingredients in a bowl and chill. Serve it cold with raw oysters and plenty of lemon.
COCKTAIL SAUCE
With extra lemon zest and a heavy hand with the horseradish, this cocktail sauce rises above the typical bottled fare. Serve with oysters and a squeeze of lemon, on chilled poached shrimp, with cold crab or lobster or stirred into a glass of vodka on the rocks—a favorite tipple with iced seafood.
1 cup good-quality ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup, please)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2–3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, or more to taste
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Stir together first three ingredients and taste; you may want to add more horseradish. If the ketchup started out very sweet, add more than a pinch of salt. If it’s fairly savory, use less. Chill at least an hour for flavors to mingle. Keeps indefinitely in the fridge.
