Tangerine (mandarin) peel (zest)
(peeled from one whole tangerine)
Instructions
Clean and shuck the oysters and arrange them on the half shell on two round platters that can fit in two steamers. Be sure to retain as much of the oyster liquor in the half shell as possible during shucking. Keep the oysters refrigerated until ready to steam.
Gently simmer the tangerine peel, minced ginger, soy sauce, wine, sugar and water in a small 1-quart saucepan. Cook for about 15 minutes then cool slightly. Take the tangerine peel out and mince it into a paste. Return the tangerine peel paste to the liquid. Finally add the sunflower oil to the sauce and keep warm over very low heat. Alternatively you can use a blender to make the sauce being careful to maintain a rough consistency.
When ready to serve steam the oysters over boiling water for about three minutes. Do not overcook the oysters. Then cover the oysters with about half teaspoon full of the sauce. Garnish each oyster with a slice of kumquat and a small cilantro leaf. Serve immediately.