Got your hands on some good, fresh oysters? Serve these luscious bivalves in haute style with caviar, mirapoix, and coriander.

You’ll need your oyster-shucking tool, of course. And don’t forget to buy a hefty amount of ice or salt to serve this starter on a bed of ice or salt for a cool, crisp, dramatic backdrop.

  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 3 hours 
  • Active: 30 mins 

Ingredients (9)

  • 2 dozen oysters
  • 1 cucumber
  • 3 shallots, minced
  • 2 cups rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, whole
  • 3 ounces American sturgeon caviar
  • 2 ham hocks
  • 1 cup mirepoix (celery, carrots, onions), finely minced

Instructions

  1. Peel and julienne the cucumber into 1-inch strips.
  2. Mince the shallots.
  3. Bring the rice wine vinegar, coriander, and sugar to a boil. In separate bowls, pour it over the cucumber and then the shallots and hold both in the liquid until the liquid is cool.
  4. In a small saucepan, add the mirepoix and ham hocks and cover with water. Bring it to a boil and skim off the surface. Simmer very gently for two hours. Pour through a coffee filter and chill in an ice bath until cool.
  5. To serve, shuck the oysters and place on a bed of ice or salt. Garnish with the pickled shallots and cucumbers. Spoon on a little hock broth on each oyster and top with caviar.