Royal Chilled Seafood Platter Recipe

Clean & Shuck

Rinse oysters under cold running water and scrub shells to remove debris. Using an oyster knife, hold the oyster flat-side up, insert knife at hinge and twist to pop. Run knife under top shell to sever muscle and remove top shell. Loosen oyster from bottom shell but keep it sitting in its liquor.

Plate

Fill a large serving platter with crushed ice to create a stable bed. Nestle oysters on the ice alternating east and west coast varieties for visual contrast. Place lemon wedges and 1 tablespoon mignonette per oyster nearby. Serve immediately chilled.

Poach Prawns

Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil with 2 tsp kosher salt, bay leaf, peppercorns and lemon slices. Add prawns and cook until shells are bright and flesh is just opaque, about 2–3 minutes depending on size. Do not overcook.

Shock & Chill

Immediately transfer prawns to an ice water bath to stop cooking and cool quickly, about 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry, leaving tails intact for presentation. Refrigerate until cold.

Serve

Arrange prawns on the ice bed around oysters or in a separate area. Serve with cocktail sauce in a small bowl and lemon wedges.

Prepare Dressing

Whisk together 2 tbs yuzu juice, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp grated ginger in a small bowl.

Dress Fish & Plate

Lay hamachi slices in a single overlapping row on chilled plate. Spoon the citrus-ginger dressing sparingly over the fish so each slice gets a light glaze. Top with a thin jalapeño slice on each piece and scatter microgreens. Serve immediately so fish remains cool and bright.

Assemble

Arrange salmon slices on a heatproof platter. Dot each slice with a small amount of spicy mayo and a tiny drop of citrus ponzu. Drizzle a whisper of neutral oil over the top and sprinkle with togarashi.

Aburi (Torch)

Using a culinary torch, quickly pass the flame over the salmon to lightly sear the top layer until it becomes just opaque and slightly charred (10–15 seconds per area). Do not over-torch — you want surface caramelization while keeping the interior sashimi-rare. Allow to rest 30 seconds before transferring to the serving platter.

Prepare Tartare

In a chilled bowl, combine the finely diced bluefin tuna with minced shallot, chopped capers, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp lime juice. Gently fold in diced avocado if using. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch of salt or a few drops of soy if needed.

Mold & Serve

Use a ring mold or small spoon to portion the tartare onto the serving plate or a chilled small dish. Garnish with a few microgreens or cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with crisp taro chips for scooping.

Slice & Rinse

Peel taro and slice very thinly on a mandoline to produce uniform chips. Rinse slices briefly to remove excess starch and pat completely dry with paper towels.

Fry

Heat neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry taro slices in small batches until crisp and golden, about 1–2 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Season

While still hot, sprinkle taro chips with sea salt. Cool completely — chips will crisp further as they cool.

Build the Royal Platter

On a large chilled serving platter, create a bed of crushed ice centered and rimmed to hold cold items. Arrange shucked oysters across one side, place chilled jumbo prawns fanned beside them, position hamachi and aburi salmon slices artfully on chilled plates set into the ice bed, and add a small bowl or ring-molded portion of bluefin tuna tartare. Scatter taro chips in a separate pile or in small bowls around the tartare and salmon for guests to scoop. Tuck lemon wedges, dill and cilantro sprigs between items for color.

Serve

Provide small spoons, cocktail forks, extra soy and wasabi on the side, and a bowl of cocktail sauce for prawns. Serve immediately while seafood is cold and salmon aburi is slightly warm on top from torching.