Flex those shucking muscles – oyster season is just around the corner. Luckily, the team at St Enodoc Hotel in Rock are on hand to dish out the low-down on the best ways to prep and eat the meaty molluscs

Au naturel

Fresh, invigorating, bracing: there’s nothing quite like the salty tang of devouring a raw oyster. Keep ’em simple and serve with a few slices of lemon, or add a tart kick with a homemade mignonette by combining salt and coarsely ground pepper, white or red wine vinegar and chopped shallots. Serve on the half shell on a bed of crushed ice.

Baked beauties

Craft a delicious treat by baking the briny bivalves on the half shell for 10-15 minutes at 200°c / gas 6. Go classic serve style with the rich and herby Rockefeller or smoky bacon-spiked Kilpatrick for tried-and-tested crowd pleasers, while a creamy béchamel sauce makes for an indulgent shell-fellow. Add crunch by topping with breadcrumbs.

On the barbie

Switch up the burgers on your late summer barbies – this year, the mighty mollusc is the grilled goodie of choice. Prep garlic butter spiked with paprika and parmesan, then shuck the oysters, add a slice of butter on top of each and grill for about 6 minutes or until bubbling.

Asian-inspired

Create crunchy canapés by deep frying oysters in a tempura batter until crisp and golden, then serve with an Asian-style dipping sauce for a heat-infused thrill. Mix tomato and chilli jam with soy, lime and ginger for a Thai-style smack of oriental oomph.

Oysters at St Enodoc

Prefer to let the pros do it? For a dining experience that truly celebrates the provenance of your plate, tuck into Porthilly oysters alfresco on the terrace at boutique St Enodoc Hotel in Rock, Cornwall. Savour the saline punch, sip on a crisp coastal white, then ogle at sweeping views of the Camel Estuary, overlooking the oyster and mussel beds from which the delicacies on your plate were cultivated and harvested.

www.enodoc-hotel.co.uk