Chefs' Recipes

Beau Clugston's grilled oysters with tapioca

"This is an idea I got when I was travelling around Australia with René Redzepi; the Aboriginal elders threw the clams or oysters on the fire until they sang," says Clugston.

By Beau Clugston
  • 10 mins preparation
  • 2 mins cooking
  • Serves 4 - 6
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"This is an idea I got when I was travelling around Australia with René Redzepi; the Aboriginal elders threw the clams or oysters on the fire until they sang," says Clugston. "Then there's a lot of fresh herbs, and the tapioca gives acidity and adds flavour."

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp pouring cream
  • 12 oysters, shucked, loosened and returned to bottom shell, juice reserved
  • ⅓ cup sorrel, finely chopped (loosely packed)
  • ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (loosely packed)
  • ⅓ cup watercress, finely chopped (loosely packed)
  • 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
  • 2 tsp finely grated horseradish
Pearl tapioca
  • 40 gm tapioca pearls (¼ cup)
  • 60 ml apple cider vinegar (¼ cup)

Method

Main
  • 1
    For tapioca, cook tapioca in a saucepan of boiling water until transparent (15-20 minutes). Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold running water, drain and transfer to a container. Add vinegar, cover and stand to absorb vinegar for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
  • 2
    Combine milk and cream in a bowl and season to taste with strained reserved oyster juices.
  • 3
    Heat a grill or barbecue and grill oysters until just warm but not hot (1-2 minutes). To serve, drizzle ½ tsp of cream mixture over each, top with tapioca and herbs, and scatter with lemon rind and horseradish.