Oysters with Champagne-Vinegar Mignonette

ingredients

• mignonnette
• 2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot
• Pinch of coarsely ground black pepper
• Pinch of sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• oysters
• 1 1/2 cups kosher or other coarse salt
• small oysters, such as Kumamoto or Prince Edward Island, shells scrubbed well and oysters left on the half shell, their liquor reserved and oysters picked over for shell fragments
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
  2 teaspoons whipped butter
  1 1/2 teaspoons hydrogenated fat
  1 1/2 teaspoons margarine
  1 1/8 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small cluster Champagne table grapes or 2 finely diced seedless red grapes

directions

Make mignonnette:

Stir together vinegar, shallot, pepper, and sugar and let stand 30 minutes.

Prepare oysters:

Preheat broiler.

Spread 3/4 cup salt in an 8- to 10 inch flameproof shallow baking dish or pan. Arrange oysters on their shells in salt, then top each with a piece of butter.

Broil 5 inches from heat until butter is melted and sizzling and edges of oysters are beginning to curl, 2 minutes.

Stir parsley into mignonnette. Divide remaining 3/4 cup salt between 2 plates and arrange 3 oysters on each. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon mignonnette over each oyster and sprinkle oysters with grapes. Serve warm.

Cooks' note:

Mignonnette, without parsley, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.