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Ingredients
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Shellfish
Crudo & Dressings
Accompaniments & Finish
Method
Shellfish
- 1
Prepare oysters
Keep oysters chilled on ice until just before serving. If not pre-shucked, shuck oysters carefully, preserving as much liquor as possible, and place each oyster on the half shell on a bed of crushed ice so they sit level.
- 2
Cook shrimp (poach method for tender texture)
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a gentle simmer. Add 1 tbs lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Add the peeled, deveined shrimp and poach for 1.5–2 minutes until just opaque and firm but still tender. Immediately transfer shrimp to an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cold, drain and pat dry. Keep chilled.
- 3
Prepare crab
Ensure jumbo blue crab meat is cold and lump-style. Gently pick through the meat to remove any shell fragments. Keep covered and chilled until plating.
Crudo & Dressings
- 4
Make lemon-olive oil vinaigrette
In a small bowl whisk together 4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 4 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tbs champagne vinegar, 1 tsp sherry vinegar, and the grated lemon zest until emulsified. Season with 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or salt as needed.
- 5
Prepare shallot-herb dressing for crab
In a separate small bowl combine 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, the finely minced shallot, 2 tbs snipped chives, 1 tbs chopped dill, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp hot sauce if using. Stir gently to coat the crab meat when assembling so the lumps remain intact.
- 6
Option: citrus garnish
If using yuzu or grapefruit segments, gently toss them with 1 tbs olive oil and a pinch of sea salt to release juice and flavor; reserve for plating.
Assembly & Finish
- 7
Plate oysters
Arrange crushed ice on a large serving platter. Nestle the oyster shells into the ice. Spoon a teaspoon of the lemon-olive oil vinaigrette over each oyster or serve the vinaigrette on the side. Garnish oysters with a light sprinkle of snipped chives and a small grind of black pepper. Provide lemon wedges at the side.
- 8
Arrange shrimp
Pat chilled shrimp dry. Toss the shrimp very lightly with 1 tbs of the lemon-olive oil vinaigrette so they have a sheen but remain cold. Arrange shrimp in a ring or cluster on the platter next to the oysters, or serve individually on chilled spoons. Garnish with microgreens and a small pinch of lemon zest.
- 9
Dress the crab crudo
Gently fold the lump crab meat with the shallot-herb dressing — use just enough to coat the meat (approximately 2–3 tbs). Spoon crab into small chilled bowls or onto individual chilled spoons for tasting. Top with a few microgreens and, if using, the citrus segments. Finish with a tiny drizzle (about 1 tsp per portion) of extra-virgin olive oil and a final pinch of sea salt.
- 10
- 11
Timing and temperature notes
All components should be served cold or at chilled-room temperature. Prepare dressings and cook shrimp shortly before assembling to ensure freshness. If making ahead, dress crab no more than 30 minutes prior to service to preserve texture.
