Mignonette Recipes from the Oyster Saloon

Mignonette Recipes from the Oyster Saloon

What is Mignonette?

Mignonette is a French condiment made with vinegar, shallot and black pepper, traditionally used to dress oysters.  The variations to mignonette are nearly endless, and making it can be as simple or involved as you choose. In the Oyster Saloon we always have multiple types of vinegar infusing with fruits, vegetables, or herbs in order to layer flavor into our rotating mignonettes. The recipes here are scaled down and slightly less complicated for the home cook. A blender or food processor can be used to make a blended version of any of these recipes, but it will be missing some of the texture and refinement of doing it by hand. Consider making mignonette an opportunity to work on your knife skills!

You can follow these recipes to the letter, or use them as inspiration for your own concoctions.

BASIC MIGNONETTE

  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup finely minced shallots 
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns
Stir all ingredients together and chill for an hour to infuse
 

BERRY MIGNONETTE

  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup finely minced shallots 
  • 1/4 cup berries, minced or muddled (strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, etc.)
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns
Blend the vinegar and your choice of berry or mix of berries. Let the berry vinegar infuse for at least an hour in the refrigerator (overnight is even better!). Strain out the seeds and stir in the shallot and pepper. Chill for another hour to infuse.

LEMONGRASS CHILI MIGNONETTE

  • 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup finely minced shallots
  • 1 makrut lime leaf
  • 1 tablespoon chopped lemongrass
  • 1 tablespoon sambal
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns
Heat the vinegar to a simmer, take off heat, and add the lime leaf and lemongrass. Let the vinegar infuse for at least an hour in the refrigerator (overnight is even better!). Strain out the aromatics and stir in the shallot, sambal, and pepper. Chill for another hour to infuse.
 

CITRUS PINK PEPPERCORN MIGNONETTE

  • 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup finely minced shallots
  • 1 lemon (zest & juice)
  • 1 lime (zest & juice)
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pink peppercorns

Stir all ingredients together and chill for an hour to infuse

PICKLED CARROT MIGNONETTE

  • 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon finely minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoon finely diced carrot
  • 1 tablespoon Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice

Stir all ingredients together and chill for an hour to infuse

CUCUMBER BASIL MIGNONETTE

  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon finely minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoon finely diced cucumber (peeled, seeds removed)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns
Stir all ingredients together and chill for an hour to infuse

ELDERBERRY MIGNONETTE
  • 1/2 cup champagne vinegar
  • 1 shallot, finely minced.
  • 1/2 cup fresh berries, picked from stem, strained to remove seeds & skins
  • 1/4 cup cava (or any dry sparkling wine)
  1. Mix your berry juice & vinegar together, then strain using a sieve or metal coffee filter... this will make double sure you won’t be picking berry seeds out of your teeth later. 
  2. In a small sauce pan, bring the berry mixture to a boil and then cool. 
  3. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and place in an airtight container for at least four hours (this will allow the shallots to pickle slightly) before serving alongside a tray of freshly shucked oysters.

See also:

 

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