1. Start with the shucking. Fold an old tea towel over 4 or 5 times to make a nest for holding the oyster. Always shuck with the ‘bowl’ half of the oyster on the bottom, as you want to save as much of the liquid as possible. (It is also worth noting that oysters must be stored with the bowl at the bottom to keep them in the best possible condition.) Starting from the hinge end, work your oyster knife (or strong, short-bladed knife) into the hinge. This is the part that takes practice, but it’s not about brute force. Wiggle the knife tip around until you feel it going in between the top and bottom shells, then you can exert some pressure against both by twisting and prying them apart.

Once you have done that, slide the blade between the two shells, keeping it as flat as you can against the top shell. Approximately two-thirds of the way through is where the anchor muscle is, so just sweep the knife across until you sever it. Once you cut the muscle, you should be able to pull the top shell off. Arrange the meat neatly in the liquid in the bottom shell and move onto the next oyster.

Make a béchamel by melting half the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir until combined. Allow to cook for 1minute, then gradually beat in the milk and continue to stir as it comes to the boil. Cook for 1 minute. Take off the heat and set aside to cool. Stir in the fresh herbs and a pinch of salt.

Preheat the grill to medium.