Oysters with Pink Peppercorn Mignonette

Briny oysters on the half shell are a glorious beginning to any celebratory meal. And oysters are at their delicious best in winter; they spawn in the summer and by winter become sweetest and fattest. Use a small plate and, for an elegant restaurant touch, spread a layer of rock salt on the bottom. The salt evokes the sea and stabilizes the shells.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 4 oysters and about 4 teaspoons sauce)

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  champagne vinegar
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped shallots
• 2  teaspoons  pink peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 32  oysters on the half shell

Preparation

1. Combine the vinegar, shallots, peppercorns, and tarragon; chill. Spoon sauce over oysters.

Wine note: The 2007 Willi Haag Spatlese Brauneberger Juffer Riesling ($15) is spicy and aromatic, perfect with salty oysters. —Gary Vaynerchuck

Nutritional Information

Calories:

47

Fat:

1.4g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

4.1g

Carbohydrate:

4.4g

Fiber:

0.2g

Cholesterol:

30mg

Iron:

4mg

Sodium:

120mg

Calcium:

29mg