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Grilled Oysters

Ingredients:

Makes 16 oysters

• 16 whole live oysters
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons Casa de l’Oli Lemon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Method

Heat a small saucepan over medium/low heat. When warm, add Casa de l’Oli Lemon extra virgin olive oil and the butter. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and parsley. Turn off heat.

How to grill oysters:
If you can find large, fat oysters you can place the oysters directly on the grill. If you can only find small oysters you can do what I've done, which is to place the oysters on a bed of rock salt or rice in a small pan -and then place the entire pan under the grill.

This steadies the oysters and prevents them from wobbling.

If you are a shuckmeister:

Shuck the oysters, spoon a little sauce in each oyster. Place oysters on a very hot, preheated grill, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the edges of oysters curl slightly.

If you can't shuck:
Place the oysters, cup side up on a very hot, preheated grill, cover and cook for 1 minute. The oysters should now be slightly open. Quickly remove the oysters. Hold an oyster with an oven mitt and use a shucking knife (or a clean screwdriver if you don't have one!) to pry open the oyster. It should easily open. Spoon sauce into each oyster and return oysters to the grill. Cover and grill 4-5 minutes.

Strawberries dipped in dark chocolate

Ingredients:

• 16 fresh ripe strawberries
• 200g good quality dark chocolate
• 30ml Casa de l’Oli Orange extra virgin olive oil-served in a shot glass
• 30ml Mustt Balsamic Strawberry Balsamic vinegar-served in a shot glass
• Dusting of icing sugar

Method:

Wash the strawberries, and set aside.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, and place a bowl over the pan, not allowing the bowl to touch the water. Put the dark chocolate into the bowl and allow too melt, stirring gently.

Once melted, dip one-half of the strawberry into the melted chocolate; continue until all the strawberries are dipped. Place in the fridge until the chocolate has gently set.

Remove from the fridge and serve on a platter with the oil and balsamic, and a dusting of icing sugar over the strawberries.