How to compose your ideal seafood platter for the holidays?

Europe 1 9:40 p.m., December 8, 2021

Abdel Alaoui, chef, presents his tips for composing your homemade seafood platter, this must-have for the end of the year celebrations.

But also how to choose your products.

Starting with the oysters.

"The oyster at Christmas is like the periwinkles in Quimper, got hooked. One does not go without the other", he explains at the microphone of "Bienfait pour vous". 

What size for his oysters?

Especially since we are in high season, which is from October to March.

But beware, "there are the fine oysters, they are the youngest. They are hollow and less dense than the so-called special oysters, which will be more fleshy and fatty", explains the chef.

They are distinguished by numbers.

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"On the shell stall, you can find different sizes of cupped oysters. Note that the higher the number, the smaller the shell will be and vice versa. The number will be small for very fleshy oysters, for example a number zero oyster, weighing more than 151 grams. A number four oyster will weigh between 46 and 65 grams. "

If you are in doubt, Chef Abdel advises you to go for number three.

"In general, you are going to like all your friends for this issue."

On the other hand, if you want to cook them in the oven, take the zero instead, which can also be placed on your seafood platter. 

Which seafood to choose? 

The set, "you do it yourself. It costs less and it's super fun for young people".

To compose it, you need: langoustines, shrimps, prawns, whelks, periwinkles, clams, oysters, lobsters, and cakes "if you like it".

"You need about half a kilo of seafood per person," says the chef.

In addition to a nice tray, ramekins, an oyster knife, ice cubes, aluminum foil, finger rinses, periwinkle skewers, salted butter, fresh mayonnaise and lemon, not to mention the bread, preferably rye or wholemeal. 

Compose your board, step by step

Once all your ingredients are together, you are at four stages of the tasting. "The first: you are going to garnish this small tray with ice cubes or aluminum foil. This aluminum foil, you are going to crumple it slightly so that you can easily put the oysters on top." Then you arrange the open oysters in a circle around the dish. They may be present with their cover. For the periwinkles, place them in small ramekins so as not to lose them on the ice or between two pieces of aluminum. The cake or the lobster will be cut in half. "You put it on the side or in the middle", details Abdel Alaoui.

"Third step: you have the shrimp in a crown on the edge of your small verrines, with the tail in the air. The langoustines, you will plant them on the cob on the aluminum foil or on the ice. And after, we will fill the voids with clams or whelks. "

For the fourth and last step, arrange your few lemon wedges and the "famous" fresh mayonnaise, the finger rinses and the periwinkle picks.

And voila !