This vibrant and fruity Peach, Ginger, and Mint Mignonette is the perfect summertime garnish for fresh, cold, and briny oysters.

Make use of the season’s peak produce by customizing the classic mignonette (white or red wine vinegar, minced shallot, and freshly ground black pepper) to make a fun and fruity Peach, Ginger, and Mint Mignonette. The sweet, spicy, and acidic flavors in this mignonette will pair perfectly with medium to high salinity oysters.

The Best Peaches in America

I recently received a dozen beautiful, perfectly-ripe Chilton County, Alabama peaches from my friend Becky “Shecky” Wasden, who used to run Two Girls One Shuck, New Orleans’ premiere mobile oyster catering service. According to Southern Living, Chilton County produces the “Best Peaches in Alabama.” Some claim that they are the best in the country. (Watch out, Georgia!)

After pounding a couple of peaches (yes, they are INCREDIBLE), I decided that I wanted to do something special with the rest before they pass their prime. But what to do? I had a dozen unopened Duxbury Bay, MA oysters still sitting in my fridge from testing out Red Oyster’s new Oysters2Go home delivery service, and an aggressively-expanding shrub of mint on my terrace… Bingo! Why not make a peach and mint mignonette?

Don’t have peaches? What about blueberries?

Mignonette Research

A peach/mint mignonette makes so much sense that surely someone would have already created a recipe. A quick Google search yielded Portland, ME-based Chef David Turin’s Peach, Ginger + Mint Mignonette recipe. The ingredient list sounded fantastic until I got to the last line. One tablespoon of maple syrup?? Mmm…no offense, but no thanks!

Adding additional sugar feels completely unnecessary if you are using ripe, peak-season peaches, whether they are from Chilton County or not. I used Chef Turin’s recipe for guidance but tested a few of my own variations to come up with the winning formula.

Peach, Ginger, and Mint Mignonette

Recipe by Julie Qiu

Dresses 18-24 oysters

Ingredients

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 perfectly ripe (but not overly-ripe, mushy) peaches, pitted and small diced
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 Tablespoon fresh mint, chiffonade
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Pour the lightly seasoned rice vinegar, shallot, and ginger into a quart-sized bowl. Mix well.
Add the peach, mint, and salt. Gently fold in. If you’re using very soft peaches, take care not to smash peaches to mush.
Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Cover the mixture and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Option: If the mignonette tastes too sweet (this will depend on how sweet your peaches are), add a little more white wine vinegar for balance.
Storage: This mignonette can be stored for up to 2 days before the peach’s texture turns too soft. If it becomes too soft, perhaps freeze it and then use a blender to make a granita?

How Much Mignonette Should I Use?

A question that I am often asked is how much mignonette should I be using? OK, I’m lying. I never get asked that question. But I cannot tell you how many times I’ve witnessed inexperienced, albeit enthusiastic, oyster eaters cover their oyster with a mountain of mignonette and then proceed to choke on the acidity and cry. Not a great look. So here’s my suggestion:

Add less than you think you need.

If you reference the first photo or photos below, you can see that I chose to cover about half of the oyster with the mignonette. Classic mignonette is considerably stronger than this recipe—so do not use this as an end-all-be-all guide. Just remember: A little goes a long way.

I also took care to place the mignonette towards the back of the oyster to allow the palate to taste the oyster first. It also minimizes the chances of choking on the acidity of the vinegar.