Herb Mignonette

Oyster mignonette made with rice wine vinegar, shallot, fresh herbs, and pepper. It’s gorgeous and tastes fantastic with fresh raw oysters. Bonus, it’s even delicious spooned over grilled meats.

We shared our essential mignonette sauce a few weeks back, combining red wine vinegar, shallot, and pepper. Now we want to introduce you to this herby mignonette. It’s excellent with fresh raw oysters and doubles as a reverse marinade for grilled or baked meats. (A reverse marinade is soaking meat in a sauce after it’s cooked–a common practice when grilling.)

This sauce is all about balance. Unlike our basic recipe, which is more acidic thanks to vinegar, this mignonette combines seasoned and unseasoned rice vinegar.

The unseasoned vinegar is more acidic (like red wine vinegar), while seasoned vinegar adds salt and sugar, adding a sweeter note to the sauce. This extra sweet note works beautifully for oysters, especially the slightly sweeter, less salty oysters we get here on the West Coast of the US. (I’d wager this would be excellent with just about any oyster you can access.)

Like other mignonette recipes, this lasts for a while in the fridge. It gets better and better over time since the shallots have time to mellow and pickle. Keep in mind that the green herbs will lose some vibrancy over time. I’m not too concerned about it, but if you’d like a bright green pop of color (like in our photos), you can always add the herbs an hour or so before serving, but make the base mignonette a few days in advance.

Making the sauce is simple. Finely mince shallot and herbs — take your time when mincing so that everything is tiny. Then mix in both kinds of vinegar (seasoned and unseasoned) and a pinch of pepper.

This mignonette recipe comes from Richard Hattaway, a renowned chef and friend. We already have a classic recipe on the blog, but we love how he incorporated rice wine vinegar and herbs for this version. It’s beautiful and tastes fantastic.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is mignonette sauce typically used? I serve this sauce alongside freshly shucked oysters. You can serve this sauce alone or provide additional options for your friends and family, like fresh lemon wedges and this classic mignonette.

Can I customize the flavors in the sauce? Of course, this is your sauce, after all. As written, this sauce tastes sweet and herby. If you’d prefer a more acidic sauce, reduce the seasoned rice vinegar a bit (that’s what’s making the sauce taste sweet.) We love tarragon, but if this isn’t your favorite herb, you can leave it out or substitute it for more parsley.

How long does mignonette sauce last? Quite a while, but be mindful that the bright green color of the herbs will dull over time. I’ve had this in the fridge for a week and still enjoyed it.

Can I use the sauce for other dishes besides seafood? Absolutely! Try spooning some sauce over cooked shrimp or fish. It’s also delicious with grilled or seared meats like chicken and steak. Think of it like a chimichurri sauce or reverse marinade.