Seafood Tower Recipe

Prepare cooking water

Bring 6 liters of water to a rolling boil in a large stockpot. Add 6 tablespoons coarse sea salt to approximate seawater salinity.

Add the live Maine lobsters headfirst to the boiling water. Cover and return to a boil, then cook 12 minutes for 1-1¼ lb lobster and 14–16 minutes for 1½–2 lb lobster. For two lobsters, use the longer time if they are larger. Lobsters are done when shells are bright red and internal temperature at the thickest part of the tail reaches 60–63°C (140–145°F).

Using tongs, transfer lobsters to an ice bath to stop cooking and cool for 5 minutes. Remove and drain.

Crack claws and knuckles lightly with a lobster cracker or heavy knife and split tails (or leave whole and split for service). Warm 120 g unsalted butter until just melted and serve with lemon halves (cut remaining lemons into wedges for tower).

Keep oysters on ice until shucking. To prepare the mignonette, combine 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp finely minced shallot and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl; stir and refrigerate.

Shuck oysters just before service over a bowl to catch liquor, loosen from shell, arrange on crushed ice. Spoon a small amount of mignonette onto each oyster or serve mignonette in a small ramekin alongside.

Bring 1.5 liters water to a gentle boil in a medium pot. Add 2 tsp coarse salt and 2 bay leaves.

Add the shrimp and cook until opaque and just curled, about 2–3 minutes depending on size. Remove to an ice bath to stop cooking and chill completely.

Drain shrimp, pat dry. Toss with 1 cup cocktail sauce, juice of 2 limes and 1 tsp hot sauce to taste. Chill until ready to assemble.

Serve in small glasses or on ice beside the tower with cocktail forks and lime wedges.

Keep hamachi cold until just before service. Arrange thin slices on a chilled plate or on the tower platform.

Whisk together 2 tsp light soy, 1 tbsp yuzu (or lime) juice and 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. Season lightly with 1 tsp sea salt.

Drizzle the dressing over the hamachi slices, top with thinly sliced Fresno chili and 20 g microgreens. Serve immediately so the fish remains fresh and chilled.

In a bowl, combine 300 g picked blue crab meat, 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest.

Fold in 1 finely diced celery stalk and 2 tbsp chopped chives. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; adjust to taste. Chill until assembly.

Portion crab salad into small chilled bowls or spoons for the tower.

Rinse and debeard mussels; discard any that remain open after a tap test. In a large sauté pan, melt 30 g butter over medium heat and sweat 1 minced shallot and 2 crushed garlic cloves until translucent (about 2 minutes).

Add 250 ml dry white wine and 150 ml water, bring to a simmer. Add mussels, cover, and cook 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until mussels open. Discard any that do not open.

Remove mussels with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Reduce pan liquid slightly if desired, then finish with chopped parsley and a squeeze of 1 lemon; spoon a little broth over mussels to keep them moist.

Prepare a large platter or three-tiered seafood tower stand and fill the base and tiers with crushed ice (8 cups total) to keep seafood chilled.

Arrange components attractively: place whole/cut Maine lobster(s) centered on top or a prominent tier, oysters on the half shell around one tier, chilled Baja shrimp cocktail in small glasses or nests of ice, hamachi crudo fanned on a chilled plate section, blue crab salad spooned into small bowls or quenelles, and poached mussels grouped with some shells open facing up.

Garnish with lemon wedges, microgreens or sea herbs and provide additional condiments: warmed butter for lobster, remaining cocktail sauce, mignonette, and extra lemon wedges. Include cocktail forks and small spoons for crab salad and mussels.

Serve immediately, advising guests to use separate utensils for raw oysters/crudo and cooked items if desired.