Recipe: Gin and Tonic Oysters (and Other Toppings You Have to Try If You Love Oysters)
Oysters—who doesn’t love them! Have you never eaten an oyster? Then try one without any frills first. An oyster is delicious with a little lemon juice to give it a subtle sour touch, combined with a pinch of black pepper. It’s also delicious with raspberry vinegar and shallot. But what’s a real celebration: gin and tonic oysters!
The oyster season is getting longer and longer. A commonly heard saying is that oysters are good in the months that contain the letter ‘r’. Although, in my opinion, the best period is from mid-October to early March. And then you’ll definitely want to try these toppings for your oyster.
Gin and tonic oysters: a perfect combination
You really don’t have to be a top chef to create an ultimate explosion of flavor. In their purest form, gin and oysters are a beautiful match. The guys behind the surprisingly smooth Hermit Dutch Coastal Gin pour a splash of gin directly onto oysters (but also onto other shellfish and seafood)—and it’s a wonderful combination. Hermit’s fresh citrus flavor and lightly briny finish pair amazingly with treasures from the sea. And to complete the celebration, drink the award-winning Hermit gin and tonic alongside it. Serve with Fever-tree Mediterranean (or Indian) tonic, grapefruit zest and samphire. And voilà: everything is perfectly balanced.
With spicy fish sauce
Two-Michelin-starred chef Edwin Vinke of restaurant de Kromme Watergang in the Zeeland town of Sluis also knows exactly what to do with oysters. In his cookbook Ruige kost, which he wrote together with BLØF singer Paskal Jakobsen, he explains that everyone who comes to eat at his restaurant should taste at least one Zeeland oyster. ‘That has always been our motto. And it wasn’t easy at all until we started making them with spicy fish sauce. Problem solved!’ You’ll find the recipe in Ruige kost.
Even more heat
The sambal matah topping also proves that spicy and briny make a good combination. You can try it yourself with the recipe by chef Pascal Jalhay.
For coriander lovers
Coriander: you love it or you hate it, there’s no middle ground. I’m firmly in the lover camp, so this is genuinely one of my favorites: oysters with Thai coriander dressing by Julius Jaspers. And it’s also super easy to make—which is always a plus!
What do you drink with them?
Although oysters can differ enormously in flavor, they have one thing in common: each and every one tastes soft and briny. A fresh, young white wine that doesn’t overpower the flavor of the oysters is a good match. My all-time favorite with oysters: champagne! Blanc de Blancs champagnes are especially good with oysters; these are champagnes made exclusively from chardonnay grapes. For example, try the delicious combination of oysters and Ruinart Blanc de Blancs.
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