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By Root 185 0

’re fresh enough to consume raw. And always buy jars labeled “selects” if possible, because they tend to be more uniformly sized. One caveat: to our taste, packed oysters rarely have enough brine, because the packers almost always soak them in fresh water to plump them up and bring down the salt content. Fortunately, that can be easily remedied with several pinches of kosher salt to taste (we commonly use a teaspoon per pint). At about $10 a pint (24 to 36 oysters, depending on their size), they’re one of America’s great seafood bargains. And if you’re at all cringy about eating these oysters raw, simply heat them in their liquor in a skillet or sauté pan until their edges curl, and then proceed with the cocktail recipes.

OYSTER COCKTAIL NO. 1

lemon, fiery habanero, and parsley

serves 4 • TIME: 10 minutes preparation, 30 minutes resting

1½ cups freshly shucked oysters with their liquor (about 16 pieces)

1 red habanero chile, seeded and minced (1 tablespoon)

1 large lemon, segmented (see Segmenting Citrus)

¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons dry white wine

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Strain the liquor from the oysters and discard all but 2 tablespoons. Pour the oysters and the reserved liquor into a medium bowl. Add the chile, lemon, parsley, vinegar, white wine, and salt, and toss gently to combine. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (but not more than a day) to let the flavors meld before serving.

2 To serve, divide the oyster mixture among small bowls. Drizzle each serving with 1½ teaspoons of the oil, grind a bit of fresh black pepper over them, and serve with a small spoon.

OYSTER COCKTAIL NO. 2

tart apple, lime, and jalapeño

serves 4 • TIME: 10 minutes preparation, 30 minutes resting

1½ cups freshly shucked oysters with their liquor (about 16 pieces)

1 medium jalapeño chile, seeded and very finely diced (2 tablespoons)

1 lime, segmented (see Segmenting Citrus)

¼ cup finely chopped scallions (white and green parts)

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

½ Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into matchsticks

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Strain the liquor from the oysters and discard all but 2 tablespoons. Pour the oysters and the reserved liquor into a medium bowl. Add the chile, lime, scallions, vinegar, apple, and salt, and toss gently to combine. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (but not more than a day) to let the flavors meld before serving.

2 To serve, divide the oyster mixture among small bowls or wineglasses. Drizzle each serving with 1½ teaspoons of the oil, grind a bit of fresh black pepper over them, and serve with a small spoon.

RADISH BUTTER

serves 6 • TIME: 10 minutes

This simple veggie spread will knock you out first with its speckled-magenta beauty. Then you’ll be impressed by how it synthesizes the old-school delight of peppery, cool radishes from the garden, dabbed with a dot of good butter and a pinch of salt. Spread it on rye toast points, unsalted crackers, celery sticks, endive leaves, or crunchy romaine hearts.

We got the idea for radish butter from our Nashville friend Mindy Merrell, the co-author, with her guy, R. B. Quinn, of Cheater BBQ: Barbecue Anytime, Anywhere, in Any Weather. For folks who call themselves “cheater chefs,” they sure don’t skimp on anything, and they come up with ideas that are simple and original and damned delicious. We think you’ll agree “clever chefs” is more like it.

½ pound round red radishes, trimmed, at room temperature

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, completely softened

¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or ½ teaspoon Maldon salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper

About 24 thinly sliced rye toast points, toasted slices of French bread, water crackers, 2-inch celery sticks, endive leaves, or romaine heart halves

Put the radishes in the bowl