Place the oyster into a holder, belly side down. Place the tip of your oyster knife into the shell hinge and wiggle/twist it to pop the shell open. Run the oyster knife over the top of the oyster meat, flush to the top shell, to sever the muscle. Remove and discard the top shell.
Rinse the knife, then slide it under the oyster meat to sever the bottom adductor muscle. Use the knife tip to pick out any pieces of shell or grit that you can see, or run the oyster meat under cold running water before placing it back in the half shell.
How to make mignonette sauce
Finely dice the shallot and then place it into a bowl with the red wine vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes so that the shallot can pickle slightly, then mix in the olive oil and chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.
How to serve oysters
Serve fresh oysters on a bed of crushed ice with a teaspoon of shallot vinaigrette on top of each one, with fresh lemon wedges and tabasco on the side.
Notes
Optional extras:Finely chopped cucumber, bell pepper, avocado, and tomatoes also taste delicious on top of fresh oysters.