Oyster recipient made from rice wine vinegar, shallot, fresh herbs and pepper. It’s beautiful and tastes amazing with fresh raw oysters. Bonus, it’s even delicious spooned over grilled meat.
We shared our must-have mignonette sauce a few weeks ago, which combines red wine vinegar, shallot, and pepper. Now we would like to introduce you to this herb shed. It goes great with fresh raw oysters and also serves as a reverse marinade for grilled or baked meats. (A reverse marinade is soaking meat in a sauce after it’s been cooked—a common practice when grilling.)
This sauce is all about balance. Unlike our basic recipe, which is more acidic thanks to vinegar, this mignonette combines seasoned and unseasoned rice vinegar.
Unseasoned vinegar is more acidic (like red wine vinegar), while seasoned vinegar adds salt and sugar, adding a sweeter note to the sauce. That extra sweet touch goes great with oysters, especially the slightly sweeter, less salty oysters we get here on the US West Coast. (I’d bet this would go great with just about any oyster you can access.)
Like other mignonette recipes, this will keep in the fridge for a while. It only gets better with time as the shallots have time to ripen and pickle. Keep in mind that the green herbs lose some of their vibrancy over time. I’m not overly concerned about this, but if you want a pop of bright green color (like in our photos), you can always add the herbs about an hour before serving, but make the base resignette a few days later, paying in advance.
Preparing the sauce is easy. Finely chop the shallots and herbs – take your time chopping so everything gets very small. Then mix in both types of vinegar (seasoned and unseasoned) and a pinch of pepper.
This mignonette recipe comes from Richard Hattaway, a renowned chef and friend. We already have a classic recipe on the blog, but we love how he used rice wine vinegar and herbs for this version. It’s beautiful and tastes amazing.
frequently asked Questions
How is mignonette sauce typically used? I serve this sauce with freshly shelled oysters. You can serve this sauce on its own, or offer your friends and family additional options, like fresh lemon wedges and this classic mignonette.
Can I customize the flavors in the sauce? Of course, that’s your sauce after all. As written, this sauce tastes sweet and tart. If you prefer a more acidic sauce, reduce the seasoned rice vinegar a little (it makes the sauce taste sweet.) We love tarragon, but if this isn’t your favorite herb, you can omit it or substitute more parsley.
How long does mignonette sauce keep? Quite a while, but remember that the light green color of the herbs will fade over time. I’ve had it in the fridge for a week and I still love it.
Can I use the sauce for dishes other than seafood? Absolutely! Try spooning some sauce over cooked shrimp or fish. It’s also delicious with grilled or roasted meats like chicken and steak. Think of it like a chimichurri sauce or reverse marinade.
Herb Mignonette
Oyster recipient made from rice wine vinegar, shallot, fresh herbs and pepper. It’s beautiful and tastes amazing with fresh raw oysters. Bonus, it’s even delicious spooned over grilled meat. Scroll to the Hints & Tips section for an explanation of rice vinegar versus flavored rice vinegar, as well as a DIY flavored rice vinegar recipe if you don’t have it handy.
Makes 3/4 cup
you will need
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) rice vinegar
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) seasoned rice vinegar
7 tablespoons chopped shallot, 1 medium to large shallot
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
directions
Combine rice vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar, shallot, parsley, tarragon, and pepper in a non-reactive bowl or glass jar. Taste and season with more pepper. Keep in mind that the vinegar will taste strongest initially, but will soften as it sits in the fridge with the shallots.
Before serving with oysters, refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the shallots to marinate and soften. The mignonette will keep in the fridge for up to a week. It will get softer over time but I’m enjoying it! If after some time in the fridge you taste the sauce and notice that it has lost its spiciness, add a dash of fresh vinegar.
Shell the oysters and serve in a small dish with the mignonette sauce. Place a small spoonful of the sauce (I go heavy on the shallots) and add to a raw oyster before eating. Then repeat!
Advice from Adam and Joanne
- Rice Vinegar vs. Seasoned Rice Vinegar: Seasoned rice vinegar is plain rice vinegar with salt and added sugar. It is an excellent condiment for marinades, sauces and dressings. It is sold alongside rice vinegar at most grocery stores.
- Homemade Seasoned Rice Vinegar: Combine 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon fine salt in a bowl. Leave for five minutes, then stir until the sugar has dissolved. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Nutritional Information: The nutritional information below is an estimate. We used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, take a picture and tag #inspiredtaste – we love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Nutrition per serving: serving size 2 tablespoons / calories 37 / total fat 0.1g / Saturated Fatty Acids 0g / cholesterol 0 mg / sodium 482.5mg / carbohydrate 8.6g / fiber 0.6g / total sugar 5.9g / protein 0.5g