Champagne Mignonette Ice for Oysters on the Half Shell
3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 cup UNseasoned rice wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons very finely minced lemon zest
2 tablespoons finely minced shallots
1/2 cup dry champagne
Place black peppercorns between plastic wrap and crush with a heavy pot or mallet until well crushed (or crush in a mortar and pestle if you have one). In an 8-inch x 8-inch glass casserole dish or stainless steel bowl combine black pepper with remaining ingredients; stir. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Every half-hour or so remove from the freezer and stir the mixture with a fork. Mixture should start becoming slushy after about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When mixture is icy and completely raked into tiny pieces of ice crystals, the stirring process can stop. Let freeze overnight and break up ice crystals with a fork right before serving.
Serve a small spoonful (about 1/2 teaspoon) of ice atop each fresh-shucked oyster.
Chef's Tips:
To make a decorative ice bowl to hold the mignonette, layer lemon peel, flowers, shells and herb sprigs in a large stainless steel or plastic bowl half-filled with cold water. Nest a smaller bowl in the center and weight down with cans or rice to make as deep an indentation as you want. (Take care that the two bowls bottoms aren't touching, or the bowl will not have a solid base.) Freeze until solid, then run some cold water into the smaller bowl to loosen it and dip the larger bowl into cold water to help release it. Be sure to arrange the ice bowl on a rimmed dish to catch water as it drips.
© 2003 Kathy Casey Food Studios®
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