Oysters with Lemongrass Chile Mignonette

Perhaps one of the greatest things about a mignonette sauce is its adaptability to ingredients. One never has to stick with a traditional mignonette that consists of shallots, vinegar, salt and vinegar. The sauce is, in many ways, a small canvas on which a cook or chef could create a variety of culinary artwork. 

Over the years, I have produced some culinary artworks (I use that phrase very lightly). I've prepared a Balsamic Mignonette, Lemon-Basil Mignonette, Beer Mignonette, Peach Champagne Mignonette, Mango Habanero Mignonette, and Green Mignonette. None of these mignonettes come close to a work of art. I am no culinary Leonardo da Vinci, Khalil Rabah, Amoaka Boafu, or Diego Rivera when it comes to mignonettes or any other culinary work. 

That is okay, because mignonettes are not supposed to be masterpieces. The sauces always play a supporting role. That role focuses upon highlighting the sweetness or brininess of the oyster. If someone is using an oyster to eat a mignonette, then they have turned the entire experience on its head. Mignonettes are intended to elevate the eating of raw oysters. 

But, I firmly believe that mignonettes can serve another purpose, namely, to introduce people to new flavors and flavor combinations. A mignonette should serve not only to enhance, but to educate. I often look for unique or different mignonette recipes that shed some additional light upon a cuisine or a people. That search led me to this Lemongrass Chile Mignonette. Lemongrass is a common ingredient in southern and southeast Asian cuisines, from Sri Lanka to Vietnam and every where in between (think Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia). It is also a foundational pairing with chiles. Together, both ingredients add something missing from raw oysters. Lemongrass provides a citrusy aroma, as well as a little bitter or tartness, which works well with sweeter oysters). Chiles, of course, provide a little kick that also works very well with sweet oysters. 

Together, lemongrass and chiles (or, in this case, sambal oelek, which is an Indonesian chile paste) play their supporting role. They worked very with the Chesapeake Bay oysters that I paired them with, both Misty Points and Chincoteague Salts. But, I hope that this mignonette will open the door for those who may not be as familiar as myself with Burmese, Thai, Cambodian, Laotian, Vietnamese, Malayasian or Indonesian cuisine. Both ingredients can be found in many recipes from across the region. If you are looking for a starting point, perhaps consider Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills, a Burmese recipe' Ga Xao Xo Ot (Lemongrass Chile Chicken), a Vietnamese recipe; or Larb, a Laotian dish. All of these recipes are easy to make and delicious to eat.

OYSTERS WITH LEMONGRASS CHILE MIGNONETTE

Recipe from Hama Hama Oysters

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen oysters
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 makrut (or kaffir) lime leaf
• 1 tablespoon chopped lemongrass
• 1 tablespoon sambal oelek
• 1/4 cup finely minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns

Directions:

1. Infuse the vinegar. Heat the vinegar to a simmer, take off heat, and add lime leave and lemongrass. Let the vinegar infuse for at least an hour in the refrigerator (overnight is even better). 

2. Finish the mignonette. Strain out the aromatics and stir in the shallot, sambal and pepper. Chill for an hour to let the flavors come together. 

PEACE.