Oysters ala Russe as served on the Titanic -recipe

by Elena Dorothy Bowman

In a small fictional town in the northeast corner of Massachusetts a mysterious package from out of the past had the residents buzzing. The original recipient had long since passed, and the sender of the package had died at sea in a tragedy that stunned the world.

Oysters ala Russe as served on the Titanic

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vodka
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. prepared horseradish (I added a little more)
• Dash hot pepper sauce
• Pinch salt
• Pinch sugar
• 1 plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. chives, finely chopped
• 12 large oysters
• Coarsely cracked black peppercorns

Method

1. In bowl, stir together vodka, lemon juice, horseradish, hot pepper sauce, sugar, salt.
2. Gently stir in tomato and chives.
3. Wash oysters under running water to remove any loose barnacles or sand.
4. Insert tip of oyster shucker between shell halves near hinges; twist upward to open shell. Discard top shell, Using blade of shucker, sever connective membrane that holds oyster to bottom shell. Place open oysters on bed of shaved or crushed ice.
5. Spoon vodka relish over each oyster; dusting with cracked pepper.