The food of love – cook up a romantic storm with oysters

Recipes on Title Sussex Magazine www.titlesussex.co.uk

With our season of love in full swing we thought we’d bring you a recipe guaranteed to kick-start desire at the dinner table, with the aphrodisiac qualities of oysters but cooked for the squeamish.

OYSTERS WITH GINGER & SPRING ONIONS
Taken from Pete Evan’s The Paleo Chef; Pete is an Australian chef, restaurateur and co-presenter of My Kitchen Rules: Australia on Sky TV. He says, “I love oysters so much, I am writing an entire book dedicated to this marvel of the ocean with a good mate of mine – a professional oyster shucker for the last thirty years. This recipe is a classic Chinese preparation. The key here is to first slice the ginger paper thin, and then cut it into fine long strands; the same goes for the spring onions. The sauce is a combination of vinegar and tamari; you can use coconut aminos or fish sauce instead of tamari if you prefer. When I substitute fish sauce, I like to add a touch of finely chopped fresh red chilli, lime juice, and some chopped lemongrass.”

Paleo-Chef_Oysters-w-Ginger-&-Spring-OnionlongOysters with ginger & spring onions
Serves 2

Sauce
1-inch (3 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
1⁄3 cup (80 ml) wheat-free tamari or coconut aminos
1⁄4 cup (60 ml) fish stock (page 202) or water
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

12 oysters, in the half shell, ideally local
4 spring onions, julienned

To serve
Toasted sesame oil
Fresh coriander leaves
Fresh shiso leaves
White sesame seeds, toasted

9781447298335To make the sauce, combine the ginger, tamari, fish stock, and vinegar in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Heat to a simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside. Place the oysters in a steaming basket set over boiling water and spoon a good amount of sauce on each. Add a small amount of spring onions to each one. Cover the pan with its lid and steam for 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle with some of the remaining sauce after steaming. To finish, drizzle the oysters with sesame oil and garnish with coriander, shiso, and sesame seeds.

The Paleo Chef by Pete Evans is out now (Macmillan, £14.99)
Photography: Mark Roper

About Sam Harrington-Lowe
As the managing editor Sam is responsible for all the Title publications and works diligently to develop the brand and support relationships with all partners and clients. She runs things with her dedicated PA Ms Alice Pickle Pug