Seafood in Its Natural State

Seafood has a delicate taste and texture, and there is some seafood that doesn’t need cooking at all. The one that comes to mind first is the oyster. It is a great shame that up until the last fifteen years or so, oysters in Australia have been very badly treated: by that I mean always sold opened. However, it is now possible to get freshly shucked oysters in many good restaurants. It would be great if that occurred everywhere, but you never know, perhaps in time. There is a world of difference between an oyster that has been opened, washed and turned, placed between sheets of paper and sold, and one that is alive and has had the lid knocked off just prior to serving, with all of its brine water surrounding it. This is the oyster that needs nothing, save a squeeze of lemon, and the purists would even scoff at that. To my mind, a freshly shucked oyster, with thin rye bread spread with good-quality butter, is one of the most satisfying things you can eat. If you wish, you may make a little red wine vinegar and French shallot dressing or perhaps replace the red wine vinegar with a little champagne vinegar, but that is about where it ends (I do like oysters fried when they are quite large). Apart from that, just concentrate on getting the opening technique down pat. It really is quite easy, especially if you use a purpose-designed knife for the job. Fresh oysters make a sophisticated little canapé and are a nice way to start off a Sunday lunch party – opening oysters as your guests mill around the kitchen with a cool glass of white wine in hand. Three to four oysters per person is a good number; there is no need to go overboard.