Totten Virginicas, Stellar Bay Kusshis, and Shigoku oysters are my top three oysters. Shigokus are Pacific oysters raised in floating bags that rise and fall with the tide, creating a small, firm “tumbled” oyster in a scoop-shaped shell. They have an amazingly clean taste that hovers somewhere between saltwater and cucumber. Because their taste is so pure, I keep my garnishes straightforward. The Meyer Lemon Ice is a sweet, frozen version of a lemon squeeze, and the pickled beets are my idea of a mignonette. You can choose to prepare only one, but the array of all three, with oysters glistening on a bed of cracked ice, is one of the nicest ways I know to start an evening...or an afternoon. You’ll need crushed ice for serving the oysters. If you don’t have a refrigerator that dispenses it, you can crush it in a food processor or blender. In the restaurants, we grind the ice ahead of time and put it in a colander over a bowl so some of the water drains out. Another trick is to line the bowl with paper towels to soak up any melting water while the oysters are being served.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 as a first course

　　24 fresh Shigoku oysters, top shells removed

　　

Meyer lemon Ice

Freshly cracked pepper

　　Juice of 3 Meyer lemons (about 1/2 cup)

　　Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

　　

Pickled Yellow Beets

1 cup champagne or other good-quality white vinegar

　　1 cup finely diced yellow beets

　　Minced chives, for sprinkling

　　

Granny Smith Apple with Horseradish and Lemon

1/2 lemon

　　1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and very finely diced

　　1-inch piece fresh horseradish

　　

Step 1

Place the oysters on a bed of crushed ice.

　　

Step 2

To make the lemon ice, add 2 twists of the pepper mill to the lemon juice and pour into a wide, flat dish that you can put in the freezer. A wide soup bowl or a glass or ceramic pie plate would work just fine. Freeze until hard, about 4 hours or overnight. Using the tines of a fork, scrape across the surface to create a fluffy, light lemon ice. Reserve in the freezer. (It’s good to do this well in advance—a couple of days would be fine.)

　　

Step 3

To serve, top each oyster with about 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon ice. Drizzle with a tiny bit of the finest olive oil.

　　

Step 4

To make the pickled beets, bring the vinegar JUST to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the beets. Pour into a heatproof container and place in the refrigerator to cool.

　　

Step 5

When ready to serve, top each oyster with 1/2 teaspoon of the pickled beets and a little liquid. Sprinkle with the chives.

　　

Step 6

To make the apple and horseradish accompaniment, squeeze the lemon over the diced apple and set aside.

　　

Step 7

When ready to serve, spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture on top of each oyster. Grate a fine shower of fresh horseradish over the top of each.

　　Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen