Mignonette Sauce For Oysters
A classic mignonette sauce made with red wine vinegar, shallots, sugar and pepper. Simple, elegant and perfect with fresh oysters.
Video
Ingredients
- 24 (2 dozen) oysters (NOTE 1)
- 50g/ 1.8oz finely chopped eschalots / shallots (approx. 2 medium-sized) (NOTE 2)
- ½ cup red wine vinegar (NOTE 3)
- 2 tsp sugar (NOTE 4)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until the sugar and salt have fully dissolved. Add the finely minced shallots and stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust to your liking, adding a little more sugar to soften the acidity or extra salt and pepper if needed.
- Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop before serving.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Oysters - In Australia, oysters are often conveniently sold cleaned and already shucked on the half shell. The most important thing when buying oysters is freshness. Always purchase them from a trusted fishmonger and serve them as soon as possible. Fresh oysters should smell clean and slightly briny. Avoid any oysters with a strong or unpleasant odour, as this is a sign they’re no longer fresh.
(NOTE 2) Shallots (Eschalots) - Eschalots look like small, oval-shaped brown onions. They have a milder, slightly sweeter flavour than regular onions, which makes them perfect for mignonette sauce. Finely minced, they soften beautifully in the vinegar without overpowering the oysters.
(NOTE 3) Red wine vinegar - Because this sauce is vinegar-based, using a good-quality red wine vinegar really matters. Cheaper vinegars can taste overly acidic and one-dimensional, which can overwhelm delicate oysters. A good red wine vinegar enhances the sauce, cutting through the richness of the oysters while keeping the flavour bright.
(NOTE 4) Sugar - A small amount of sugar is used to round out the acidity of the vinegar. It doesn’t make the sauce sweet, as it simply softens the sharp edge, creating a more balanced and pleasant finish.
Nutrition Information is estimated using a third-party calculator and should be used as a guide only.
Australian Measurements - All measurements on this website use Australian standard cups and spoons. For conversion details, see my Australian Cooking Measurements page.
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Cheers – Cat T
Nutrition
Serving: 1oysterCalories: 22kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 26mgPotassium: 16mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 1mg