Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Union League Cafe›Chilled Seafood Tower Recipe

Chilled Seafood Tower Recipe

Inspired by Union League Cafe
Time1h
Serves4

A variety of fresh seafood served chilled.

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Ingredients

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Seafood

Dipping Sauces

Method

Preparation of Seafood

  1. 1

    Prepare the Shrimp

    In a large pot of boiling salted water, add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain and set aside.

  2. 2

    Prepare the Scallops

    In a similar fashion, place the scallops in boiling salted water and cook for about 2-3 minutes until opaque. Drain and transfer to ice water to cool. Set aside.

  3. 3

    Prepare the Lobster

    If not done already, cook the lobster tails in salted boiling water for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from water, cool, and then cut in half lengthwise.

  4. 4

    Prepare the Crab Legs

    If using frozen crab legs, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. If fresh, simply crack and set aside.

  5. 5

    Prepare the Oysters

    Ensure the oysters are shucked and cleaned. Keep them on ice until ready to serve.

Assembling the Seafood Tower

  1. 6

    Arrange the Ice

    On a large platter or seafood tower, layer the crushed ice at the base.

  2. 7

    Layer the Seafood

    Start layering the seafood on top of the ice: first, place the shrimp, followed by the scallops, then the lobster halves, crab legs, and finally the oysters at the top.

  3. 8

    Garnish

    Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the seafood for a fresh garnish.

Serving

  1. 9

    Prepare Dipping Sauces

    In small bowls, serve the cocktail sauce, melted butter, and hot sauce alongside lemon wedges.

  2. 10

    Serve Chilled

    Serve the seafood tower immediately while everything is chilled. Enjoy!

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