Oysters with Shallot & Raspberry Vinegar (Recipe)

So straight after my battle with razor clams, I went on to tussle with the oysters I'd got from See Woo.

As mentioned before, you can store live oysters for a couple of days wrapped in a wet teatowel in the fridge.

However, I had no intention of keeping these little beauties.

To prep them, I used a shucking kit from Habitat for the oysters - works like an absolute dream - and I had them raw with some shallot & raspberry vinegar.

Oysters with Shallot & Raspberry Vinegar

• 6 fresh oysters
• 1 banana shallot or small red onion
• Raspberry vinegar
• Tabasco (optional)
• Lemon wedge (optional)

Mince the shallot or onion finely and then mix with a few good glugs of the vinegar.

Open the oysters by using a shucking kit as I did :

1. wedge the oyster into the wooden oyster clamp;
2. dig into the lip of the oyster with the oyster knife; and
3. wiggle the knife all round the edge of the oyster.

They should open up quite easily.

If you don't have a shucking kit, you can improvise by wrapping each oyster in a tea towel and prising their shells open with a stubby knife.

Careful though - my brother slashed open his palm using this technique and ended up needing stitches ...

For full instructions and a "how to shuck an oyster" vid, see the BBC Good Food Guide.

Place the opened oysters on a plate or oyster platter and serve with the shallot vinaigrette (or Tabasco and a squeeze of lemon juice if you fancy, or even some poncy French oyster vinegar like in the bottle above).

Remember to chew!

"Yum, yum, pig's bum" as my mother-in-law says for reasons I do not fully comprehend