Carlingford oysters with pickled rhubarb and red shiso
- Starter
- Medium
- Makes 12 oysters
- 30 minutes, plus 2 weeks pickling time
PT30M
PT
Sam Buckley's stunning oyster dish is served with bright pink pickled rhubarb and a glossy oyster emulsion. The rhubarb takes at least 2 weeks to pickle, but will last for months so it's worth making a jar full.
Ingredients
Pickled rhuabrb
- 100g of apple cider vinegar
- 200g of caster sugar
- 300g of water
- 200g of rhubarb
- table salt
Oyster emulsion
- 3 oysters , ideally Carlingford oysters, shucked
- 1 egg white
- 150ml of vegetable oil
- salt
- 1 lemon , juice, to taste
Oysters
- 12 oysters , ideally Carlingford oysters
- red shiso cress, to garnish
Equipment
- Hand blender
Method
Begin by pickling the rhubarb, as it needs at least 2 weeks in order for the maceration to truly take hold. Finely slice the rhubarb, sprinkle it with salt and leave for 1 hour. This draws out excess moisture and opens the pores of the vegetable to maximise penetration of the pickle. Rinse off the salt then pat dry and place in a clean jar
- 200g of rhubarb
- table salt
Place the vinegar, sugar and water in a pan with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar, leave to cool slightly then pour over the rhubarb. Close the lid and store in a cool dark place. Leave to pickle for at least 2 weeks
- 100g of apple cider vinegar
- 200g of caster sugar
- 300g of water
To make the oyster cream, place the shucked oysters into a jug with the egg white and use a stick blender to blend into a smooth paste. With the hand blender still running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream to produce a glossy emulsion. If the mixture begins to split, add a splash of cold water to bring it back again. Taste and season with salt and lemon juice (if you want a little acidity)
Steam the whole oysters in their shells for around 7 minutes and immediately plunge into ice-cold water to halt the cooking process. Shuck, move gently from the shell and place in the fridge. Keep the curved side of the shells
- 12 oysters , ideally Carlingford oysters
To serve, spoon some of the emulsion into the base of each oyster shell and top with a steamed oyster. Decorate with pickled rhubarb slices and red shiso cress
- red shiso cress, to garnish
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Carlingford oysters with pickled rhubarb and red shiso
