9 extraordinary oyster recipes for the holidays

At the end of the year, mounted gendarmes patrol the beaches of Normandy. Their mission? Monitor and protect the oyster farms that dot the Cotentin coasts in order to discourage oyster thieves.
In the distance, yellow and red tractors crisscross the beaches at low tide to reach the multiple metal bags placed on tables, between the rocks. With their feet in the water, men and women turn over the heavy bags, fix them, take some out, in a well-regulated ballet. Between the towns of Gouville-sur-Mer and Blainville-sur-Mer, Pierre-Aurélien Danlos is one of them, exploiting a few hectares of coastline where he works with his wife Dorothée, following his father. “At 19, I knew what I wanted to do: be in the great outdoors and produce quality cupped oysters, here on an exceptional terroir. » It must be said that the giant tides of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel are conducive to shellfish farming. “The powerful mixing of the water, its quality and its relatively low temperatures are favorable to the growth of these shellfish which develop over a cycle of three to four years,” he explains, in oilskin and boots, before open an oyster in front of us. Pearly and firm flesh, delicately iodized flavor, it is eaten on site, while the first drops of a grain arrive from the west. “To obtain a robust and regular shell, we turn the bags from the end of spring to the beginning of autumn,” explains Pierre-Aurélien, proudly announcing that “many oyster farmers, from Carantec to Oléron, source their supplies here, recognizing the quality of oysters produced in the Channel”.

“Number of oyster farmers, from Carantec to Oléron, recognize the quality of the oysters produced in the Channel. »

A French specialty

European leader with nearly 90,000 tonnes per year, France is a paradise for lovers, with its multiple origins with original characteristics: sweet and crunchy in Isigny-sur-Mer, salty in Paimpol, nutty in Croisic, marinated in Charente- Maritime or sweet and milky in Arcachon… Consumed since the Neolithic, oysters are today synonymous with months in “r” (a leftover from the time when slow transport limited their
consumption in winter), Atlantic and gastronomy. Rich in proteins, zinc, iron, copper, selenium and vitamin B12, these health allies can be prepared in multiple ways. Raw with a dash of lemon juice or vinegar, they are also delicious hot, with a sauce, soup, or even pasta. And the chefs compete in creativity, like Arnaud Faye, the new chef of Epicure, at the Bristol, who serves them with a kombucha jelly and a limoncello siphon, the young Adrien Cachot and his original oyster-pair. andouillette, or Alexia Duchêne, who cooks them tempura with cream, kombu and candied yuzu… A few weeks before the holidays, it’s your turn to play. Get inspired by our recipes and let your creativity speak!