Seafood Tower Recipe

Shuck oysters

Keep oysters cold until ready. Using an oyster knife and protective glove or towel, insert knife at hinge, twist to pop, run knife under top shell to detach muscle, remove top shell, slide knife under oyster to free bottom muscle and leave oyster in half shell. Rinse any grit, place oysters on a tray and cover with plastic; chill on crushed ice until serving. Arrange 18 oysters across tiers of your tower.

Cook jumbo shrimp

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water (about 4 qt/4 L with 2 tbsp salt) to a rolling boil. Add shrimp and cook until opaque and just firm, about 2–3 minutes for jumbo shrimp. Immediately transfer shrimp to an ice bath to stop cooking. Chill, drain, and refrigerate until plating. Keep tails on for presentation.

Steam mussels

In a large pot, add 1/2 cup water and a tight-fitting lid. Add mussels, cover, and steam over medium-high heat until shells open, 4–6 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open. Remove mussels from shells or serve in shells per preference; chill on an ice tray until plating.

Prepare Dungeness crab

If using pre-cooked crab, crack legs and claws partially for easy eating while keeping some shell intact for presentation. If whole, split or section into manageable pieces. Chill thoroughly. If cooking live, simmer whole crab 12–18 minutes depending on size, then shock in ice bath and chill before cracking.

Combine champagne and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in the finely minced shallots, granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Taste and adjust acidity or salt as needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve chilled in a small bowl alongside the oysters.

In a small bowl, whisk together whole grain mustard, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice until smooth. Taste and add remaining tablespoon lemon juice if needed for brightness, and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt. Refrigerate until serving. This aïoli pairs well with crab meat and chilled shrimp.

In a bowl, combine ketchup, prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and optional hot sauce. Taste and add more horseradish for heat or lemon for brightness. Chill until serving.

Select a multi-tiered seafood tower or large chilled platter. Fill the base area and each tier (or shallow bowls on the platter) with a generous layer of crushed ice, pressing coarse sea salt into any gaps if using salt bed for stability. Arrange the seafood by type and visual balance: place oysters in their halves across the tiers, cluster chilled shrimp in small piles (tails out), position mussels grouped together, and place crab sections prominently for visual impact.

Place small bowls with sauces (champagne mignonette, mustard aïoli, cocktail sauce) around or on tiers where accessible. Garnish with lemon wedges, chopped parsley, and microgreens or dill. Keep the entire tower refrigerated until serving; if serving outdoors, place the tower over an additional ice bed to maintain chill.

Serve immediately with small forks for shellfish, crab crackers or nutcrackers and picks for crab, extra napkins, and small plates. Replenish ice and sauces as needed during service.