15 Fancy Seafood Dishes for Special Occasions
Nothing says celebration like luxe seafood to pair with bubbly.
Fresh, pristine seafood like oysters, buttery salmon, and sweet, plump scallops can elevate any special occasion menu. Here's an array of extra-elegant, Champagne-worthy seafood recipes with which to celebrate, from shared starters like layers of caviar dip and a vibrant raw tuna appetizer, to centerpiece-worthy Salmon Wellington and Lobster Thermidor. Here are some of our most fancy seafood dishes for gatherings.
Barbecued Oysters with Smoky Uni Butter
Briny uni and acidic lemon, mixed with smoky paprika and rich butter, combine to make an extraordinarily flavored butter to top oysters before roasting.
Four-Layer Caviar Dip
Layers of creamy egg salad, crisp red onion, herbed cream cheese, and salty, briney caviar come together in a beautiful molded dip that serves up an entire caviar platter in one dish.
Thai-Style Shrimp Cocktail
Serve this irresistible shrimp cocktail around the rim of a coupe glass with a quick garlic aioli and super spicy fish sauce–based dipping sauce.
Gougères with Smoked Salmon, Caviar and Prosciutto
Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman
Gougères are one of those snacks that deliver a lot flavor and are easy to make. Topped with smoked salmon and sevruga caviar, they're perfect for a cocktail party and can be ready in an hour.
Neoclassic Seafood Salad
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Alfred Portale's recipe for this famous stacked salad from Gotham Bar and Grill is simple: high-quality ingredients, good execution, and an elaborate presentation.
Tuna Tiradito with Ají Amarillo Leche de Tigre
Raw sashimi-grade tuna is draped in a sauce of lemon juice, orange juice, chiles, and ají amarillo chiles, which give the sauce its brilliant color and are about twice as hot as jalapeños. Serve this flavorful dish with blue potato chips for a bold pop of crunch and color.
Spicy Tuna Sushi "Biscotti"
Crispy thin cakes of fried sushi rice with toppings like spicy tuna or miso-basted eggplant play well with wine pairings based on the texture of the fish and the sauce used.
Littleneck Clams In the Style of Escargot
Easy-to-find littleneck clams stand in for snails in this riff on the French classic. The quick wine-brightened garlic butter melts into the clam liquor to create an irresistible broth.
Lobster Thermidor
Classic lobster thermidor stuffs gently cooked lobster meat back in its shell with a wine-based sauce and a touch of cheese before coming together under the broiler. The natural sweetness of lobster still shines through the rich, but not heavy, cremini mushroom and dry Sherry-laced creamy sauce.
Salmon Wellington
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Barrett Washburne
Wrap salmon loin with cabbage leaves, then layer it with shrimp, nori, and puff pastry before baking it for this impressive dish that's a perfect seafood centerpiece.
Mussels with Harissa and Basil
A creamy, smoky red pepper puree gets swirled into these harissa-spiked steamed mussels for a striking presentation.
Crisp Paupiettes of Sea Bass in Barolo Sauce
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Risha Carnes
Daniel Boulud's paupiette with sea bass, Idaho potatoes, leeks, and Barolo was the result of “a succession of inspiration," with the textural contrast of crisp potato and delicate fish served at Le Cirque and then restaurant Daniel. A worthy main course for any special occasion.
Scallop Crudo with Pecans and Ponzu Sauce
This super-simple recipe from chef Eric Ripert features thin slices of fresh, high-quality, raw sea scallops topped with the delicious combination of chopped toasted pecans, Japanese ponzu sauce, and aged balsamic vinegar.
Scallops with Potato Pancakes and Caviar Sauce
Vinny Dotolo found inspiration for this elegant dish by thinking about New Year's Eve classics. Both Champagne and caviar flavor the butter sauce that he spoons over seared scallops set on mini potato pancakes.
Black Cod with Miso
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's iconic, buttery miso cod recipe is both easy and elegant. This streamlined recipe delivers all the luxury and flavor in a fraction of the time.
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