Oysters make a wonderfully indulgent offering on Christmas day: there's something brilliantly theatrical about presenting a platter of them that immediately signals a sense of occasion. They create a moment of ceremony before the main event.
The beauty of oysters at Christmas is they cut through all that impending richness — the duck fat, the butter, the cream — with their clean, mineral snap. They're elegant without being fussy, luxurious without being heavy, and they give everyone something to talk about while you're still in that first-glass-of-Champagne territory. Below, from his new book Rick Stein's Christmas — Recipes, Memories & Stories for the Festive Season, the chef shares two of his favourite festive recipes.
