Delicious UK - (02)February 2020

HOW TO SHUCK PACIFIC OYSTERS

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“Thetasteandtextureofoysters

varyhugelydependingonwhere

they’regrown;it’sworthtryingones

fromdifferentregionstocompare

theflavour.If youhaveanoyster

knife, shucking (the technical term

foropeningsomeshellfish)iseasy

todo.If youdon’thavea shucking

knife,youcanputPacificoystersin

a hotovenfora fewmomentsand

theywillopennaturally – but they

will be cooked.”

BUILD YOUR SEAFOOD SKILLS

EQUIPMENT

I recommendusinganoyster

knifeasI findit easiertofit

thesharppointinthehingeof

theoyster,whichpreventsit

slippingout.Shuckingiseasy

todo:justtakea deepbreath,

then follow my instructions.

KNOW-

HOW

Alsosoldasrock

oystersorJapanese

oysters,Pacificoysters

are available year-round.

1

PROTECTYOURHANDS

Cradletheoyster,rounded-

sidedown,ina clothtoprotect

yourhands.Findthehingeat

thepointedendoftheoyster,

thenpushanoysterknife,with

thetippointingdownatthe

board,intothecrackbetween

thetopandbottomshells.

2

EMBEDTHEKNIFE

Twisttheknife,still

pointingdown,tocreatea gap

andslidethebladefurtherinto

theshell.Makesuretheknife

blade is embedded in the shell.

3

OPENTHEOYSTER

Oncethebladeis in,don’t

pushtheknifeanyfurther,but

twistorleverthebladeto

dislocatethehinge– you’ll

heara shuckingnoisethat

meanstheoysterhasopened.

4

RELEASETHE

TOPSHELL

Runtheknifebladeacrossthe

undersideofthetopshellto

cutthemuscleattachment,

thenpulltheshellaway.Try

tokeeptheliquidintheshell.

5

RELEASETHEOYSTER

Usingthepointofthe

blade,cutthemuscleunder

theoystertoreleaseit from

theroundedhalfoftheshell.

6

TURNOVERAND

CHECKFORSHELL

Toserve,carefullyrollthe

oysteroverintheshellusing

theknifesotheplump,

roundedsideoftheoysteris

uppermost.Removeanyloose

shardsofshell.Tipawaya tiny

amountofjuicefromtheoyster

as it will release more as it sits.

TOSTOREKeepoystersinthefridgesittingrounded-side

down,sotheydon’tlosetheirliquidif theyopenup.

TOCOOKTryoystersgrilledwithdill,pastisandcrème

fraîchewitha sprinklingofgratedparmesan.

CJ’STIPSMakesureoystersaretightlyclosedbefore

opening.Oystersthatareevenslightlyopenwon’tbesafe

toeat.Avoiddrinkingtoomuchalcoholwithoysters as the

two don’t mix well. One glass of fizz is perfect.

PHOTOGRAPHS: DAVID CHARBIT

INTHISNEWSERIES,CJJACKSON,SHELLFISHUKAMBASSADORANDPRINCIPAL

OFTHESEAFOODSCHOOLATBILLINGSGATE(SEAFOODTRAINING.ORG),DELIVERS

KEY SKILLS IN CHOOSING, PREPPING AND COOKING FISH AND SEAFOOD.

READEROFFER

CJwillbeshuckingoystersandgivinga tastingatTheSeafood

SchoolatBillingsgate,LondonE14,onValentine’sDay,Friday

14 February.Tobookforthediscountedpriceof£70(normally

£75)fora couple,call 02075173548 andmentiondelicious.

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