Seafood Platter

This is what we put on our seafood platter. Our preference is to buy most seafood pre-cooked (boiled at sea) and serve it cold. See the post above for why we choose these items - it's all about best quality and best value for money! Varieties of seafood specified are for Australia.

Top tips: Buy Australian (or locally caught, wherever you are in this world) and where possible buy fresh rather than thawed/frozen (most seafood loses quality when frozen). Don't buy cheap lobster, it's a total waste of money. Get Moreton Bay bugs instead (it's so similar, but cheaper) or more prawns instead. Avoid buying pre-packaged if you can, it's fresher from open displays!

Ingredients

2 kg / 3 lb whole prawns , pre-cooked, shell on (Tiger, King or Banana prawns)

24 oysters - Sydney Rock or Pacific , love both (Tasmanian, Merimbula and Port Stephens are favourites)

4 blue swimmer crabs (400g/14oz+) (not smaller), pre-cooked in shell, whole

8 Moreton Bay bugs , pre-cooked in shell, whole (fallback - Balmain Bugs)

200g / 7 oz smoked salmon (Huon is the only Australian one I get)

250g / 8 oz sashimi , pre-sliced (tuna, kingfish or salmon)

1 kg / 2 lb mussels - cooked, served at room temp (Note 5)

Seafood Sauces (choose 2) - all recipes here:

Cocktail Seafood Sauce

Tartare Sauce

Marie Rose / Thousand Island (top pick)

Thai Chilli Lime Sauce

RecipeTin Family Favourite Seafood Sauce (top pick)

Other sauces:

Sauces for oysters (selection coming next week)

Soy sauce and wasabi , for sashimi

Serving:

Ice , optional (crushed if you can, else normal)

Lemon wedges (lots!)

Parsley sprigs (for decorating, if you're feeling fancy)

Bowls , to discard shells

Finger bowls , filled with water and lemon slices

Napkins (lots!)

Our standard side dishes

Good bread with good butter or good extra virgin olive oil (Try this easy Crusty Artisan Bread)

Perky green salad or vegetable sticks (crudites), see in post for suggestions

Lots of cold beer, wine and champagne!

Extra dishes pictured in post and the video

Marinated crispy baby octoptus

The crispiest salt and pepper squid (recipe coming soon!)

Cheese and crackers (because I just have to!)

More extras - see notes

Instructions

Purchase all seafood as close as possible to the serving date. We often do the 5AM shop at the Sydney Fish Markets on Christmas Eve, because we are slightly crazy! We don't order online (we like to choose our own).

Storage - Cooked seafood will easily keep 2 days, fresh raw for cooking will too if you take it out of the plastic bags, put in a colander or similar and very loosely cover with cling wrap (breathing = less stinky).

Crab - To cut the crab, follow directions in How to Cut a Whole Crab except DO NOT cut off the claws if you are using a Blue Swimmer Crab. (See note)

Moreton Bay bug - To cut the bug, flip it on to its back. Cut down through the middle (the shell is not too hard). Clean out the yellow and brown matter in the head, then it's ready to serve. Recipe video above.

Sauce - Make your sauces of choice. They will be used for dipping prawns, Moreton Bay bugs and crab (I also use for vegetable sticks and bread!). Refrigerate until required (2 days+).

Mussels - Make mussels, if using. Great served at room temperature on a cold seafood platter.

Assembling:

Ice (optional) - Cover a large platter with ice. This keeps the seafood cold as well as providing a non-slip bed.

Pile the prawns, crab and bugs on to the platter. Drape smoked salmon randomly around. Fan out the sushi.

Oysters – Place them level to avoid the juices in the shells spilling out (what a waste!).

Mussels – Break off one shell, and serve in the remaining shell. Then place the mussels in a single layer, or shingled (stacked but level). Spoon on a little of the diced vegetables and some reserved mussel cooking liquor.

Sauce and lemon - Nestle bowls filled with sauces amongst the seafood and scatter over lemon wedges. Serve alongside finger bowls for cleaning and bowls to discard shells, and lots of napkins. Fill glasses with wine, cheers to Christmas! Now dive in!