Seafood Platter

Name: Seafood Platter
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds mussels; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; 1 large shallot, finely chopped; 1 1/2 cups dry white wine; 3 tablespoons butter, plus more as needed; 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 bunch fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup dry white wine; Juice of 1/2 lemon; Salt and pepper; 1 pound large shrimp (16/20 count), cooked and chilled; 10 crab claws, cooked and chilled; 8 langoustines (also known as Norway lobster or Dublin Bay Prawns), cooked and chilled; 2 lobsters, cooked and chilled; Lemon slices, for garnish; Melted butter, for serving

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Mixed seafood platters are great because they give you the flexibility to only buy what looks fresh that day. I do a mix of shellfish that I think present well together--very colorful and pretty. All seafood quantities are just guidelines; add or remove what you like according to to your taste and what is available. I sometimes find great looking seafood that has already been cooked by my seafood vendor. Using precooked seafood will help cut down on time in the kitchen. The only seafood I insist on cooking myself are mussels, so I can be sure to have the freshest available.

Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr
Active: 1 hr

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr
Active: 1 hr

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

White Wine-Steamed Mussels:

2 pounds mussels

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

White Wine and Tarragon Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup dry white wine

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

Seafood Platter:

1 pound large shrimp (16/20 count), cooked and chilled

10 crab claws, cooked and chilled

8 langoustines (also known as Norway lobster or Dublin Bay Prawns), cooked and chilled

2 lobsters, cooked and chilled

Lemon slices, for garnish

Melted butter, for serving

Directions

For the white wine-steamed mussels: Clean the mussels by rinsing them under fresh running water. Remove the beards (the hairy strands attached to the mussels) and discard any damaged or dead mussels. If any mussels are open, gently tap them on the side of the sink; if they do not close, discard them, as this indicates they are dead. If you clean the mussels in advance, refrigerate them in a colander set above a bowl, covered with a damp paper towel, until ready to use.
Melt the butter in large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots, and cook until softened and beginning to color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mussels and white wine (the wine should start to bubble immediately). Cover the pot and let the mussels steam for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once halfway through. You will know the mussels are done cooking when they open; discard any that do not open.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the mussels from the pot and set aside to cool. Discard the remaining liquid. Refrigerate the mussels until you are ready to assemble your platter.
For the white wine and tarragon sauce: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tarragon and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Add the wine and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Taste and add more butter if the sauce is too acidic. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm until ready to serve.
To assemble the seafood platter: Cover a large serving platter with a layer of crushed or cubed ice. Arrange the shrimp, crab claws, langoustines, lobsters and steamed mussels on top. (I like to keep the lobsters and langoustines whole because I think they look better presented like that.) Be sure to crack the crab claws to help guests easily extract the meat.
Garnish with lemon slices. Serve with melted butter and the white wine and tarragon sauce in ramekins on the side.

Cook’s Note

If you can't buy precooked seafood, you can cook everything in salted boiling water (sometimes I also add a vegetable bouillon cube for more flavor) for the following times: Lobster (1 1/2 pounds): 10 to 15 minutes Langoustines: 5 minutes (do these in batches so you do not overcrowd the pot) Shrimp: 3 minutes Crab claws: 8 minutes (these are also nice steamed)