Oyster Gratin

Shucking raw oysters is not easy. Ask your fishmonger to demonstrate and buy a proper knife with a stubby, thick blade and a finger-guard. Wear thick gloves and hold the oyster flat side up and hinge away from you, in the palm of your hand. Insert knife at an acute angle into the hinge to a depth of half an inch or so, then prise open by twisting the knife a little way. Tip the juice into a jug. Now run the blade of the knife along the inside of the flat shell to detach the muscle. Remove f