The oyster recipe
for your table
First make the vinaigrette, as it improves while it rests. Stir the shallot into the red wine vinegar, grind over some pepper, and set it aside for fifteen minutes; during that time, the raw shallot’s sharpness mellows and the vinegar absorbs its flavor.
Before opening, check that each oyster is still alive. Tap a shell that is slightly open with your fingernail: if it closes, it’s good. If it stays open, discard it, as you should an oyster that smells of anything other than the sea.
Place a tea towel over your hand and hold the oyster with the rounded side facing down. Insert the oyster knife into the hinge at the narrow end and lever it with a short twist until the hinge releases. Then cut along the top shell so the adductor muscle comes loose, and remove the top shell.
Also cut loose the lower adductor muscle so the oyster lies freely in its shell, and place it on a plate with crushed ice. Pour the vinaigrette into a small glass, place the lemon wedges alongside, and chew the oyster once or twice instead of swallowing it whole.
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The story
In the Netherlands, oysters have a reputation for being expensive and difficult, and that is only half true. They are mainly expensive on a restaurant bill; at the fishmonger, you can buy them individually or by the dozen, and the price per oyster is reasonable. They are only difficult the first time, because once you understand where the hinge is, opening them is a matter of repetition. What mainly gets in the way is the idea that you have to enjoy them to fit in. You do not. People who like them usually know it right away, and those who do not do not need to force themselves.
The right glass
With oysters, the glass makes two appearances. You serve the vinaigrette in a small, straight-sided five-centilitre glass instead of a bowl: it holds exactly enough for half a dozen, and the thick base of the Barglass below keeps it in place when someone dips a small spoon into it. We do not carry a real oyster plate with indentations; for that, simply use a plate covered with crushed ice. For the drink alongside, there is a 29-centilitre wine glass, described as a manageable bowl for a neat pour without excess. Find more glasses for dry white wine in the white wine glasses collection.
Bormioli Rocco Barglass Shot Glass 5 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Brillante Wine Glass 29 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 45,40.
The right tools
For oysters, besides the glass, you mainly need an oyster knife, which we do not carry, as well as a citrus juicer for the lemon juice and a jigger to distribute the vinaigrette evenly among the glasses. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Distributes the vinaigrette evenly among the glasses
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 36,85.
What are you serving alongside?
With oysters, serve something dry and fresh, because sweet clashes with salty. Champagne is the classic choice, a dry white wine from Burgundy does the same for less money, and anyone who wants something stronger can pour ice-cold jenever or vodka into a small glass alongside. On every drinks page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it goes with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Shallot vinaigrette is the classic accompaniment, but not the only one. Replace the red wine vinegar with rice vinegar and a little lime for a fresher version, or leave out the vinaigrette and stick to lemon. If you are not a fan of them raw, briefly gratinate the oysters under the grill with a spoonful of herb butter; this completely changes the flavor. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Serve on a plate with crushed ice so the shells stay upright and the water remains in them. Only open the oysters when the guests have arrived, because once opened they dry out. Put one small glass of vinaigrette per two people on the table, with a small spoon alongside.
Good to know
Flat or cupped: what is the difference?
The oyster you find everywhere is the cupped oyster, called creuse in France: elongated, with a deep lower shell and usually a salty, fresh flavor. The flat oyster is round like a disk, rarer and more expensive, and has a fuller, slightly more metallic flavor. Start with a cupped oyster, because they are always available and cost less while you are still learning to open them.
Should you pour away the first water?
There are two camps on this, and both have a point. One camp pours away the first water because it may contain shell grit and the oyster then produces its own, cleaner water. The other camp thinks you are throwing away some of the flavor. We leave it in if it is clear and pour it away if grit is floating in it; that is not a rule, but it at least saves you from crunching between your teeth.
How can you tell if an oyster is still good?
A live oyster is closed, or closes when you tap the shell. If it remains open, discard it. After opening, it should smell of the sea and be full of water. Buy them from a fishmonger with good turnover, store them flat with the rounded side down under a damp cloth in the refrigerator, and eat them on the day you open them.
Chew or swallow?
Chew. Swallowing whole is a habit that comes from eating contests, and you taste nothing that way. Chewing once or twice is enough to release the flavor; then you notice the difference between a salty and a creamy oyster, and between a flat and a cupped one.
Why wrap a tea towel around your hand?
Because the knife can slip. An oyster shell is full of irregular edges, and the force you use is greater than you think; if the knife slips, it lands in your palm. A folded tea towel or an oyster glove absorbs the impact. It is not excessive caution; it is why every fishmonger does it this way.
How many oysters do you count per person?
Six per person as a starter and twelve if they are the entire meal, served with bread and butter. Fishmongers sell them by the dozen, so one dozen is a starter for two. For drinks, count on fewer: not everyone eats them, and those who like them usually eat more than six.
Frequently asked questions
How do you open an oyster?
Place a tea towel over your hand, hold the oyster with the rounded side down, and insert the oyster knife into the hinge at the narrow end. Twist briefly until the hinge clicks open, then cut close along the top shell to release the adductor muscle, and remove the top shell.
What do you serve with oysters?
Something dry and fresh: champagne, a dry white wine, a crémant, or a cava. Sweet wine clashes with the saltiness. If you want something stronger, serve ice-cold genever or vodka in a small glass.
How do you know if an oyster is fresh?
It is closed, or closes when you tap the shell. It feels heavy, is full of water, and smells of the sea. Buy them from a good fishmonger, store them flat with the rounded side down in the refrigerator, and eat them on the day you open them.
Do you eat an oyster with lemon or vinaigrette?
Both are common. Lemon is more direct and makes the oyster taste fresher; the shallot vinaigrette made with shallot, red wine vinegar, and pepper adds more bite and lets the oyster itself come through better. Put them side by side and let everyone choose.
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