Oysters with cucumber granita
4 servings
40 minutes
Oysters with cucumber granita is a refined dish of European cuisine that combines the freshness of seafood with a cool sweet-sour granita. The tradition of consuming oysters dates back centuries; they are valued for their delicate sea flavor and sophistication. In this recipe, oysters are complemented by granita made from pickled cucumbers, adding crunch and a slight tang balanced by apple sauce. Herb oil with parsley and dill adds elegance, while mustard notes in the cucumbers highlight the harmony of flavors. Serving with celery and wine vinegar makes the dish light and refreshing, perfect for a summer aperitif. This recipe emphasizes the sophistication of gastronomy by blending European culinary traditions with a modern interpretation of flavor contrasts.
1
Peel cucumbers of skin and seeds, cut into thin strips 2-5 cm long. Dissolve salt in 600 ml of water, pour over cucumbers and leave overnight.
- Cucumbers: 2 kg
- Salt: 35 g
2
Wrap mustard, onion slices, bay leaf, and cinnamon in cheesecloth, place in a pot with sugar and vinegar (up to 7%), bring to a boil, add squeezed cucumbers (leave the brine). Cook until transparent (but still crunchy), transfer to a sterilized jar, fill to the top with vinegar, seal, and let marinate.
- Mustard seeds: 20 g
- Shallot: 100 g
- Bay leaf: 4 pieces
- Cinnamon sticks: 1 piece
- Sugar: 200 g
- White wine vinegar: 300 ml
3
Puree cucumbers and brine (1:1), strain through a fine sieve, and send to the freezer. Once frozen, stir to create icy cucumber granita.
- Cucumbers: 2 kg
- Salt: 35 g
4
Prepare herb oil. Blanch parsley, dill, and chervil for ten seconds, transfer to ice water, blend the herbs with oil. Strain it in the refrigerator through a coffee paper filter.
- Parsley: 70 g
- Chervil: 25 g
- Dill: 37 g
- Grapeseed oil: 125 ml
5
Strain the juice from green apples through a fine sieve, blend with xanthan, and strain again.
- Freshly squeezed apple juice: 100 ml
- Xanthan gum: 1 g
6
Serve oysters with celery (green and white), apple sauce, herb butter, and mustard-cucumber granita.
- Fresh oysters: 2 pieces
- Celery stalk: 0.3 piece
- Freshly squeezed apple juice: 100 ml
- Grapeseed oil: 125 ml
- Cucumbers: 2 kg
- Mustard seeds: 20 g