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Oysters, Pickled Beets, Herb Oil
Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
Yield: 1 dozen dressed oysters
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 medium roasted beets, chopped into ¼-inch cubes
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups kosher salt
12 oysters
Herb oil
Directions
1. Pickle the beets: In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the vinegar, water, garlic, salt and sugar to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer an additional 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the beets. Transfer the beets and the pickling liquid to a bowl and set aside for 1 hour at room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
2. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the beet pickling liquid to a medium bowl and stir in the sherry vinegar. Drain the chilled beets (save the pickling liquid for another use) and toss them with the reserved sherry mixture. Add the tarragon and a few grinds of black pepper.
3. To a medium bowl, add the salt and enough cold water to create the consistency of wet sand. Turn the mixture out onto a platter. Shuck the oysters (click here for a gif) and nestle each one into the salt bed. Top each oyster with some of the pickled beets and pickling liquid and finish with a few drops of herb oil.