SPICING IT UP

In France, mignonette is traditionally made from white wine and shallots. This version is a play on North Carolina’s hot pepper vinegar. Most of our friends have become fans and have not been able to find it anywhere else. It is a staple at our house when we serve oysters grown under our dock.

Usually there is none left after an oyster roast, so I make a fresh batch every time we have friends over.

I add white vinegar to the peppers in the Texas Pete® pepper sauce jars and refrigerate for the next batch. Then, I replace the jars when the peppers start to blanch. The shallots are from our garden.

MIGNONETTE SAUCE

• 1/8 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup liquid from about three 4.5-ounce bottles of Texas Pete® Pepper Sauce
• 1/8 cup water
• 5 drops of Texas Pete® Original Hot Sauce
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 medium sliced shallot

Combine all ingredients in a cup. Add more salt if needed to achieve a sea-like brine. Pour into cruet. Chill for 24 hours and serve in individual cups for dipping with roasted oysters, or just put the cruet on the table for individual oysters. Remove shallots prior to serving. Makes 3/4 cup.

This article was published in the Holiday 2016 issue of Coastwatch.

For contact information and reprint requests, visit ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/contact/.