Crudo Of The Day Recipe

Chill and prepare serving bed

Place a shallow serving platter in the refrigerator while you prepare ingredients. Just before plating, spread the crushed ice in an even layer on the chilled platter to keep oysters cold.

Shuck oysters

Carefully shuck the oysters, leaving each oyster on its deeper half-shell. Reserve and strain the oyster liquor through a fine sieve into a small bowl to remove grit. Keep oysters and liquor chilled on ice until assembly.

Taste one oyster liquor and, if very briny, dilute with up to 1 tablespoon cold water. You will use some of this liquor in the dressing (see next section).

Combine acid and aromatics

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, yuzu juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, minced shallot, minced ginger and the reserved oyster liquor (start with 1 tablespoon). Whisk to combine.

Add the extra-virgin olive oil in a slow stream while whisking to slightly emulsify. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 tablespoon more oyster liquor or 1–2 tsp water if too bright, or a pinch more salt if needed.

Stir in the finely sliced chili (remove seeds for less heat) and the finely chopped toasted nori if using. Keep dressing chilled until ready to finish oysters.

Lay the shucked oysters on the bed of crushed ice, spacing them evenly. Spoon about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the dressing over each oyster (adjust to taste). The idea is to complement, not overwhelm, the oyster's flavor.

Top each oyster with a sliver of thinly sliced radish, a few fennel fronds, and a small pinch of microgreens or cilantro. If using bottarga or cured egg yolk, grate a light dusting over selected oysters for a savory finish.

Finish with a very light sprinkle of sea salt across oysters (use sparingly) and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle a drop (not more) of extra-virgin olive oil on each oyster if you like extra silkiness.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side and small forks. Suggest guests eat each oyster in one bite to experience the texture and balanced flavors.