Oysters With Pomegranate Mignonette Granita Recipe

Raise your hand if you’re a fellow oyster lover. Around here we love raw seafood be it for making aguachile, a simple but delicious scallope crudo recipe, or just eating oysters out of hand. 

If you’re a big fan of oysters, then you likely know that fresh, high quality ones don’t need any sort of garnish or sauce. In fact, purists will insist that you have nothing at all on the oyster or at maximum, a squeeze of lemon. 

But if you’re having more than a few oysters, it’s fun to switch it up and add a sauce and our favorite is a mignonette. This recipe is a twist on that classic French sauce made with pomegranate juice and then frozen for a flaky, icy mignonette granita.

What Is Mignonette Sauce?

A tangy sauce made with shallots, vinegar, and black pepper, classic mignonette sauce is one of the go-to garnishes for oysters. Here we take that combination, add in some tart, bright pomegranate juice and then freeze it for a modern take on the classic.

Truth be told we haven’t seen a mignonette granita all that often and it’s a shame because it’s a really easy and interesting twist on classic mignonette sauce. We love that it keeps the oysters super cold and adds a bite of flavor. 

Eating Shellfish In Month With The Letter "R"

Eat enough shellfish and you’ll eventually hear the rule that you should only eat shellfish in months that end in the letter "r." There is and isn't truth to this concept because outside of this time of year there is a risk of red algae blooms and it's often when shellfish are reproducing and when they tend to not be as tasty.

The reality is that these days the majority of our shellfish is commercially farmed so these issues are closely monitored and you can generally eat shellfish throughout the year.

How To Store Fresh Oysters

You really want to buy shellfish within about 12 to 24 hours of when you plan to serve and eat them (and don't store them anymore than 48 hours). Make sure to tell the fishmonger that you plan to eat the oysters raw so that they pick the freshest ones for you. 

Then, as soon as you get home from the store, do the following:

• Discard any oysters with damaged shells or off putting odor. The oysters should have a mineraly, briney smell that reminds you of a nice ocean breeze!

• To store them, place the oysters in a colander set inside a dish (with a rim that can catch any melting water) then cover with a damp towel and a few pieces of ice or an ice pack. Don't put ice directly on the shellfish as it could kill them. Finally, store the oysters in the coldest part of your fridge, which tends to be the back bottom shelf.

How To Open An Oyster

This recipe is super simple to make -- the hardest part is opening the oyster. If you plan on eating the oysters as soon as you return from the store and are intimidated by opening an oyster, ask if they’ll do it for you at the store. Of course, it’ll be a bit precarious for you to carry but they’ll be ready to go as soon as you get home.

Otherwise, you'll want to open them yourself. To do so, you'll need a flat surface, a kitchen towel, and an oyster knife. Here are step-by-step instructions for how to open an oyster -- keep in mind you might need a few attempts before you master it but it's a skill worth having if you plan to eat oysters a lot!

1. First, place the oyster on a flat surface with the cup side down and hold the oyster securely with a towel.
2. Locate the hinge of the shell. Carefully slide the knife into the oyster and rotate it gently like your turning a door knob and the hinge should pop open.
3. Once your knife is able to get into the oyster shell, carefully run it along the inside edge of the top shell to detach the oyster meat from the shell. Try not to break off any shards of shell or to spill out the delicious "liqueur" or liquid that's in the shell.
4. Finally remove the oyster meat from the bottom shell by gently scraping the knife along the inside of the bottom shell. Serve immediately on ice.

See The Recipe Made 

Heads up that Aida made this recipe on her IGTV so head there to check it out!

Go stock up on all your cooking essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!

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