This is our family’s essential mignonette recipe. Mignonette (French) is roughly translated to “cute” or “dainty,” which seems fitting since it’s always served with a tiny spoon in a tiny bowl (haha). I love this sauce with fresh oysters and think you will, too! This one is super classic, but try our herb mignonette for a herby, sweeter twist!
Key Ingredients
Shallots: I mince my shallots of mignonette finely and use a lot. The vinegar cuts their sharpness and gently pickles them. We hand-mince our shallot instead of using a food processor. (A food processor creates a more mushy situation that tastes stronger in the sauce.) Pepper: You can use white or black peppercorns. I like both. White pepper tastes more mellow and less spicy than black pepper, but both work nicely in this sauce. Vinegar: We have used red wine vinegar in our photos, but white wine vinegar and champagne vinegar are also excellent choices. Use something you enjoy the taste of. My favorite widely available brand of red wine vinegar is Pompeian, but you can always look in specialty stores and online for more high-end options.
How to Make Mignonette Sauce
To make a classic mignonette sauce for oysters, combine the finely minced shallots with vinegar and pepper. I also add a small pinch of sea salt, but that’s optional! Then store the sauce in the fridge for at least two hours so the shallots can mellow and pickle. Fun fact about mignonette sauce: it lasts in the fridge for a month! I actually love it after it has sat for a while in the refrigerator. And that’s it, easy classic mignonette. Of course, there are variations (like this amazing herb mignonette), but this simple sauce is perfect with fresh raw oysters. We love it! 1/3 to 1/2 cup (80ml to 120ml) red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar; use something you enjoy the taste of 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black or white peppercorns Small pinch of fine sea salt, optional 2Refrigerate the sauce for at least 2 hours before serving with oysters so that the shallots have a chance to pickle and mellow. The mignonette will last up to a month in the refrigerator. It will mellow even more over time, but I enjoy that! If you taste the sauce after some time in the fridge and find it has lost its zestiness, add a splash of fresh vinegar. 3To serve, shuck your oysters and serve with the mignonette sauce in a small ramekin. Place a small spoonful of the sauce (I go heavy on the shallots) and add to a raw oyster before eating. Then repeat!
