Recipe: Fruity Oyster Shooter

MANILA, Philippines — An oyster shooter is an exquisite cocktail that is made with a freshly shucked oyster, spicy cocktail sauce, and usually with vodka, and served in a shot glass.

One oyster goes into a shot glass, which is then filled with cocktail sauce and vodka with a squeeze of lemon juice, and you down it in one go.

Chef Sonny Mariano has come up with a different type of oyster shooter, a fruity one, incorporating a granita made from fresh or frozen blueberries from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Fresh blueberries are now available in major supermarkets, and they are packed with nutrients, too.

Chef Sonny shares his Blueberry and Lemon Oyster Shooter recipe.

Blueberry and Lemon Oyster Shooters

Assembly:

Blueberry and Lemon Granita

Fresh oysters

Pickled onions

Blueberries

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh oysters

Pickled onions

Fresh blueberries

Fresh lemon wedges

For the blueberry and lemon granita:

1 1/2 cups blueberry puree

2 tbsps. honey

2 tbsps. white sugar

3 tbsps. lemon juice plus zest

2 sprigs thyme

Pinch chili flakes

1 cup water 

PROCEDURE:

1. Clean and shuck the fresh oysters. You may choose to present them on a half shell.

2. Make the blueberry and lemon granita. First, make the blueberry puree by processing fresh blueberries in a blender. Then add honey, sugar, lemon juice and zest, thyme, chili flakes and water. Puree in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a pot and bring the puree to a boil. After 2 minutes, transfer to a stainless steel container and freeze.

3. When it is ready to assemble, scrape blueberry lemon ice using a spoon or fork. Scoop into shot glasses. Top with a fresh oyster. Garnish with pickled onions and a few blueberries. Serve with lemon wedges.

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