Chargrilled Seafood Platter Recipe

Prepare seafood

Rinse all seafood under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Remove the scallop muscle. If prawns are large, score the belly lightly to prevent curling. Slice fish into portions about 2–3 cm thick. Keep seafood cold until ready to marinate.

Par-cook mussels (optional)

Place mussels in a covered pot with 60 ml water over high heat just until they open, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat, discard any that did not open, and reserve in their shells. This step reduces grill time and prevents overcooking while still giving char flavor.

Make marinade

In a bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped parsley, oregano/thyme, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, sea salt and black pepper until emulsified.

Marinate seafood

Place prawns, scallops, calamari rings and fish portions in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour half of the marinade over the seafood and toss to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15–25 minutes (no more than 30 minutes for delicate items). Reserve the remaining half of the marinade for basting during grilling.

Preheat grill

Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high (about 200–230°C / 400–450°F). Clean and oil the grates well to prevent sticking.

Grill firm items first

Brush the grates with oil or spray. Place fish portions on the hottest part of the grill skin side down if applicable. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness, brushing once with reserved marinade, until fish is opaque and flakes easily. Transfer to a warm platter and tent with foil.

Grill scallops and prawns

Oil the grill lightly again. Thread scallops and prawns on skewers (if using) or place directly on the grate. Grill scallops 1.5–2 minutes per side until opaque and lightly charred. Grill prawns 1.5–2 minutes per side until pink and slightly charred. Baste once with reserved marinade while grilling.

Grill calamari and mussels

Grill calamari rings for 45–60 seconds per side — they should just firm and get grill marks (overcooking makes them rubbery). Place pre-steamed mussels on the grill, shell-side down, for 1–2 minutes to warm and pick up char (they are already cooked when opened).

Finish with butter

Just before removing the seafood from the grill, dot the fish and scallops with small pieces of softened butter to melt and add gloss. Sprinkle coarse sea salt lightly over the fish portions.

Assemble platter

Arrange the grilled fish, prawns, scallops, calamari and mussels attractively on a large warmed platter or board. Spoon any accumulated juices from the resting fish over the seafood.

Garnish and serve

Scatter chopped fresh parsley over the platter, place lemon wedges around the seafood, and serve immediately with grilled crusty bread or lemon-garlic aioli on the side. Provide extra reserved marinade warmed (optional) as a dipping sauce.