Oysters. Those little salty-sweet gods of the ocean. Whether you love or loathe them, nothing says summer, and Christmas, more than a big beautiful bowl of freshly shucked oysters.

With an abundance of local suppliers right on our doorstep freshly shucked is by far the best way to enjoy these pearly gems. However, if eating them naturally just isn't your thing and you’re needing a little something extra, then we recommend you give one of these a go.

1. Oysters Charentaise
Suggested by Mitch at Rick Stein at Bannisters, it's a little unusual, but for some reason, it just works. Oysters Charentaise is the combination of a freshly opened oyster with some hot, spicy sausages. What you do is eat an oyster, take a bite of the sausage, then follow it with a solid gulp of quality white wine! 

2. Oysters With Eschallot Vinegar
For something a little more subtle combine in a small saucepan 1 finely chopped small eschalot, 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of caster sugar.
Then stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves.
Cool. Stir in 1 teaspoon of finely chopped chives and drizzle over your oysters.

3. Oysters with Chilli, Ginger and Rice
Finely grate ½ a thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger and mix with 6 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar.
Add 1 finely chopped and deseeded red chilli and a little finely sliced fresh coriander.
Stir in a teaspoon of sugar until dissolved.
Serve in a dish with the oysters.

4. Steamed Oysters with Soy, Ginger and Coriander
Boil water in a pan, top the pan with the steamer.
In a bowl mix 2 parts soy to one part sesame oil and grate a small knob of ginger in, you really want just a pinch of ginger per oyster.
Spoon the mix into the oysters and steam for 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
Finish with coriander to garnish.

5. BBQ Oysters with Nori Butter
Break up two nori sheets into small flakes in a bowl, add 50g butter and ½ teaspoon of dashi, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and a pinch of salt.
Mix until combined and the butter is soft.
Top your shucked oysters with the butter, about a teaspoon each but judge it as you like it and pop onto a hot bbq. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the juices start to boil.

6. Oysters with White Vinegar
Another super simple, but delicious option is to have a fresh oyster with a couple of drops of white vinegar. Recommended by an oyster farmer, it’s so simple but so delicious.