Mignonette
(French peppercorn sauce for raw oysters)
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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
Ingredients
- Black or white peppercorns, coarsely ground -- 3 tablespoons
- Shallots, minced -- 2 or 3
- Red or white wine vinegar -- 2/3 cup
- Salt -- just a pinch
Method
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and chill well.
- 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.
Mignonette 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.
