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1
Combine the vinegar and shallot in a small bowl suitable for serving and set aside.
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2
Put the oysters on a rimmed sheet pan and freeze for about 10 minutes to numb their adductor muscles; this will make them easier to open.
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3
To open, hold the oyster firmly, either in your hand or pressed down on a work surface, and work the point of an oyster knife between the tips of the shells to pop the shells apart.
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4
Run the knife along the inside of the top shell to cut the meat from the shell, and then remove the top shell.
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5
Run the knife under the oyster to detach it from the bottom shell, but leave the oyster nestled in the shell.
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6
The oysters liquor should be clear; cloudiness indicates that the oyster is not completely fresh and should be discarded, or at least regarded with suspicion.
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7
Pick out any shards of shell that might have broken loose during shucking.
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8
Add the pepper and parsley to the vinegar-shallot mixture.
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9
This is the mignonette.
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10
Arrange the oysters over crushed ice on a platter large enough to hold them in a single layer.
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11
Make a pile of the salt to one side of the oysters or in a separate dish and serve the bowl of mignonette alongside with a small spoon.
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12
To eat, spoon a drop or two of mignonette into an oyster shell and season with a pinch of salt.
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13
Immediately slide the oyster, salt, and sauce from the shell into your mouth.
