VIETNAMESE-INSPIRED GIN OYSTERS

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE

“I came across a locally distilled gin when I visited the Maltby Street Market. It was called Little Bird Gin, and it surprisingly had great botanicals like grapefruit, orange and ginger. I decided to use it to make some Asian inspired gin-based dressings for freshly shucked oysters.” - Chef Luke Nguyen

MAKES 12

INGREDIENTS

60 ml (¼ cup) gin
60 ml (¼ cup) rice vinegar
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp palm sugar
3 coriander roots, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 red Asian shallots, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced
12 oysters, freshly shucked
500 g coarse sea salt
2 red birds-eye chillies, seeded and julienned
6 Vietnamese mint leaves, thinly sliced

METHOD

Place the gin, vinegar, fish sauce, palm sugar and coriander roots in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stand until cool. Stir in the shallots and lime juice.

Place the sea salt on a serving platter or chopping board, then nestle the oysters in the salt so that each sits flat and you don’t lose any precious juices. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the dressing over each oyster, then garnish with a little chilli and Vietnamese mint.