• Temp: C, ,

"His creative, imaginative cuisine has its roots in logic commonsense, craft skills of the highest order, and a focus on raw materials of the finest qualities...."

Galway bay oysters sashimi-style

Ask your fishmonger to open the oysters for you, you’ll just need to double check that there are no bits of broken shell inside before using them.

Alternatively you could always try having a go yourself, they really are quite simple once you get the hang of them. An oyster knife really is a very good investment if they are something that you are intending on doing regularly.

Scrub the oyster shells then place one, wrapped in a clean tea towel on a firm surface with the flattest shell uppermost and the hinge pointing towards you. Gripping the oyster firmly, insert an oyster knife into the gap in the hinge and twist to snap the shells apart.

Slide the blade of the knife along the inside of the upper shell to sever the muscle that keeps the shells together. Lift the lid off the top shell, being careful not to spill any of the juices. Carefully clean away any bits of broken shell and finally run the knife under the oyster to loosen it from the shell. Repeat until all the oysters are opened, then arrange on a tray and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Heat a frying pan over a medium to low heat and add the sesame seeds. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly until they are lightly toasted. Tip out of the pan on to a plate and set aside until needed.

Arrange three oysters on a bed of rock salt on each serving plate. Mix together the soy sauce in a bowl with the lime rind and juice, then spoon over the oysters. Scatter the ginger, spring onions and reserved toasted sesame seeds on top. Leave to stand for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in the frying pan and sauté until the garlic until golden and the sesame oil is nearly smoking. Drizzle over the oysters and serve immediately.