Josceline Dimbleby

Grilled Oysters Topped with a Crust of Fresh Chilli, Ginger and Coriander

Preparation info

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Serves

    4

Appears in

Josceline Dimbleby’s Complete Cookbook

Josceline Dimbleby’s Complete Cookbook

By Josceline Dimbleby

Published 1997

I first ate grilled oysters in a restaurant in Mexico, where they were served with a variety of toppings. The most delicious had a slight bite of fresh chilli; it inspired me to try out this version when I came home. Serve on a bed of pretty salad leaves.

Ingredients

  • 16 fresh oysters
  • 4 rounded tablespoons fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 1-2 fresh red chillies
  • 2.5 cm/1 in piece fresh ginger
  • handful fresh coriander leaves
  • 40 g/1½ oz butter

Method

Open the oysters either by putting them on a tray in a moderate oven for a minute or two or in the normal way, with a short-bladed knife or special oyster knife. Throw away the top shell and pour any juices surrounding the oysters into a mixing bowl. Cut the oysters free from the shells but leave them in their half shells.

Put the breadcrumbs into the bowl with the oyster juices. Cut the chilli open lengthways under running water and discard the seeds and stem. Peel the ginger. Finely chop the chilli and ginger. Roughly chop the coriander leaves. Mix the chopped ingredients into the breadcrumbs. Gently melt the butter and pour it into the breadcrumb mixture, stirring it in thoroughly.

Heat the grill to its highest. Put a piece of crumpled foil in the grill pan so the oysters won’t tip over. Arrange the oysters on it and spoon the breadcrumb mixture on top of each one, covering them completely. Put them under the grill for 2 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are browned.

© 1997 Josceline Dimbleby. All rights reserved.