Mignonette

Mignonette is an amazingly simple sauce for oysters. The peppercorns and vinegar heighten their flavor without overwhelming the oyster's pleasing brininess.

Makes about 2/3 cup

• Black or white peppercorns, coarsely ground -- 3 tablespoons
• Shallots, minced -- 2-3
• Red or white wine vinegar -- 2/3 cup
• Salt -- pinch

Method

1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and chill well.
2. Spoon the mignonette over oysters or clams on the half shell and serve. Or serve on the side as one of an assortment of sauces.

Variations

• Use other vinegars such as sherry or champagne vinegar if you like. You can also substitute wine, champagne or lemon juice for some of the vinegar.
• Some recipes call for reducing the vinegar by half over heat before mixing with the other ingredients.

Notes

• Don't oversalt, as oysters are quite briny on their own.