Ingredients:
- 1 (1 ½ - 2 lb) live lobster or cooked lobster (700-900g)
- 1 lb Dungeness crab, cooked and cleaned (450g)
- 12 fresh oysters, shucked
- 12 large cooked prawns, peeled and deveined (250g/9oz)
- 4 oz smoked salmon, thinly sliced (115g/4oz)
- ½ cup cooked mussels or clams in brine (120ml drained)
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh dill sprigs
- Ice
- 12 small scallops, patted dry (120g/4oz)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15ml)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup mayonnaise (120ml)
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (30ml)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (15ml)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup cocktail sauce (60ml)
- 2 tbsp prepared horseradish (30ml)
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions:
- Prepare the Dipping Sauces: In separate small bowls, whisk together the ingredients for each dipping sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Cook the Lobster (If Starting Live): Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the lobster and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the shell is bright red. Remove and immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cool, drain and crack the lobster (or ask your fishmonger to do this for you).
- Cook Optional Hot Seafood: Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Prepare the Platter: Arrange a bed of crushed ice on the platter or serving dish. This keeps everything nicely chilled.
- Arrange the Seafood: Artfully arrange the lobster (cracked and ideally halved), crab (cleaned and sectioned), oysters (shucked), prawns, smoked salmon, mussels, and optional seared scallops on the ice. Pay attention to colours and textures for visual appeal.
- Garnish: Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh dill sprigs.
- Serve: Place the dipping sauce bowls around the platter. Serve immediately.