Beau Soleil Oysters (4) Recipe

Prepare ice bed

Fill a shallow serving plate with crushed ice to create a stable bed for the oysters; keep chilled in refrigerator until plating.

Shuck oysters

Hold each oyster cup-side down on a towel. Insert an oyster knife at the hinge, twist to pop, run the knife along the top shell to cut the muscle and remove top shell. Loosen the oyster from the bottom shell but leave it in its liquor. Rinse any coarse shell fragments from the edge with cold water and place each oyster on the chilled ice bed. Keep refrigerated until plating.

Just before serving, sprinkle each oyster with a small pinch of finely snipped chives.

Stack the toasted nori sheet, then using scissors cut into very thin strips or small irregular flakes about 1/4 inch wide.

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. When oil is shimmering (not smoking), add the nori strips in a single layer and toss constantly for 20–45 seconds until they become crisp but not burnt. Sprinkle the optional 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt during the last 5–10 seconds to encourage slight caramelization. Remove immediately to paper towel to drain and cool; they will crisp further as they cool.

Break the cooled seaweed into small shards suitable to garnish each oyster (about 3 shards per oyster).

In a small bowl combine 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp citrus juice (yuzu or a 50/50 lemon-lime), 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp mirin, 1 tsp dashi (or water if unavailable) and 1 tsp granulated sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add one drop of white sesame oil if using. Taste and adjust balance: it should be bright, slightly salty and lightly sweet. Let sit 5 minutes to marry flavors.

Keep the ponzu chilled until ready to spoon on oysters. Warm ponzu is not recommended.

Combine 1 tbsp finely diced Granny Smith apple, 1 tbsp finely diced celery heart and 1 tsp minced shallot in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp champagne vinegar and 1 tsp cold water, then season with a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Stir and let sit 5 minutes to soften the ingredients and blend flavors. Taste and adjust acidity or seasoning as needed.

This mignonette is an alternate topping — use either 1/2 teaspoon of ponzu per oyster or 1 teaspoon of apple–celery mignonette per oyster, not both together unless desired.

Arrange the 4 shucked oysters on the chilled ice bed.

For each oyster spoon either 1/2 tsp ponzu or 1 tsp apple–celery mignonette onto the oyster meat and liquor, keeping liquid minimal so the oyster remains easy to eat.

Garnish each oyster with 3 small shards of the crispy seaweed, 3 pieces of ikura (salmon roe) placed delicately on top, and a light sprinkle of the chopped chives.

Optionally place a microgreen or shiso leaf beside each oyster and serve immediately with a lemon wedge on the side for diners who want an extra squeeze.