Mignonette Sauce for Oysters

1. Stage

Finely mince the shallots: Peel and coarsely chop the shallots. Put them into a food processor and pulse a few times, until the shallots are finely minced, but not mush, with pieces no smaller than the tip of a match. You can also finely mince by hand if you wish. The advantage of using a food processor is that the food processor bowl captures all of the liquid released by the shallots as they are minced, which will enhance the flavor of the mignonette.

2. Stage

Stir in the vinegars, sugar, and salt: Place the minced shallots and any liquid released from them in a non-reactive bowl. Add the white vinegar, rice vinegar, and sugar and salt. Stir with a fork. Add the freshly crushed white pepper. Stir with a fork.

3. Stage

Chill: Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours. For best results, store for at least 2 days before using. The mignonette flavor will be better blended the longer it sits. You may notice that the crushed white peppercorns may sink to the bottom of the bowl as the mignonette rests. If you see this, just give it a little stir. The mignonette will last up to a month in the refrigerator. Serve the Mignonette: To serve, shuck the oysters. (Here is an excellent video by Serious Eats on How to Shuck an Oyster .) Make sure that the oyster is loose in the shell before serving. Usually the mignonette sauce is served in a small bowl with a small spoon, alongside the oysters on a platter (or as the French say, "plateau de coquillages"). People can scoop a small amount of the mignonette (1/8 of a teaspoon or so) onto their oyster before eating.