Apple Mignonette Food

APPLE MIGNONETTE

Steps:

• Serves 2. Cut two ½-inch-thick slices from a loaf of crusty sourdough bread. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Once melted, add bread slices to skillet. Fry bread, flipping once, until golden and crusty on both sides, about 4 minutes. Set aside. // In a double boiler or metal bowl placed over a saucepan of boiling water, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Whisk in 2 tablespoons chili sauce, such as Heinz (or substitute 2 tablespoons ketchup plus 4 dashes Tabasco), 2 tablespoons white wine, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and a generous pinch of celery salt. Stir in 12 shucked oysters along with ½ cup of their liquor. (If you don't have enough oyster liquor, substitute clam juice.) Cook, barely simmering, until oysters plump and begin to ruffle at their edges, about 4 minutes. Pour in ½ cup heavy cream and stir. Simmer gently until warmed through, about 3 minutes, but take care not to let mixture boil. Sprinkle with paprika and stir. // To serve: Place slice of fried bread in the bottom of a wide shallow bowl. Spoon 6 oysters onto bread and pour half of the creamy broth over top. Sprinkle with additional paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with remaining bowl.

MIGNONETTE SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl or jar until well blended. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before using. Mignonette will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.

OYSTERS WITH APPLE MIGNONNETTE

Steps:

• Scrub oysters well. Combine oysters and apple cider in a 2-qt. saucepan and bring to a boil. Steam oysters, covered, over moderately high heat until they just open, checking occasionally after 3 minutes and transferring to a plate as they open. (Reserve steaming liquid and discard any unopened oysters.) Chill oysters, loosely covered, until cool, about 30 minutes.
• While oysters are chilling, pour oyster steaming liquid through a paper towel-lined sieve into a bowl to remove any grit. Stir 2 tablespoons strained liquid together with remaining ingredients and salt to taste. Discard remaining strained liquid.
• Remove flat half of oyster shell and loosen oyster with a sharp knife. Put oysters in rounded half of shell. Arrange on plates and spoon sauce over oysters.

CHILLED OYSTERS WITH APPLE-GINGER MIGNONETTE

Steps:

• Stir together cider vinegar, shallot, and ginger. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in apple. Top each oyster with 1/2 teaspoon mignonette just before serving.

OYSTERS WITH APPLE CIDER MIGNONETTE

Steps:

• In a small pan, over low heat, combine the cider, shallots, and apple and cook 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the vinegar and season with pepper.
• Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons over the freshly schucked ysters.