Tips and tricks

We help you create your seafood platter for the holidays

End-of-year and Christmas parties

For the festive season, Olia and her husband Mathieu, oyster farmer (EARL Langlois Clouet – Blainville sur Mer), give you their top tips for preparing a superb seafood platter yourself!

We don’t always know how to dress, what to put inside, the quantities, the cooking … fortunately, our “experts” have the tips you need for a top-quality platter: follow their advice!

What do you recommend? Can you give us an idea of quantities?

The essential ingredient for a seafood platter is the oyster! We recommend 6 number 3 oysters per person. There’s no shortage of producers or high-quality products at our destination. For the rest, here are the quantities for one person:

6 shrimps,
150 gr whelks,
100 gr periwinkles,
100 gr shrimps,
3 clams,
3 clams,
if you can find langoustines, treat yourself – it’s the holidays!

For the shellfish, one half per person (lobster – spider crab – crab).

How to set up the platter

Start by placing kelp or ice in the bottom of the platter, open the oysters and place them all around the platter. Then place the pink shrimp in front of the oysters, or you can stick them on a lemon (you can put the gray shrimp and the little periwinkles in scallop shells, or you can make your own in aluminum).For crustaceans such as crab and spider crab, remove the shell from the top and cut it in half down the middle, then replace the shell and place it in the middle of the seafood platter.

When and how do I open my oysters? (A little technical advice on how to open them without hurting yourself?)

To know if an oyster is alive, all you need is some water inside.

Take the knife at the end of the blade to avoid slipping, place the oyster in a cloth to prevent it from slipping, flat side up. Turn the knife to the right and insert it into 1/3 – 2/3 of the oyster.

You can open them by making your seafood platter 2 hours beforehand and keep them in a cool place.

Which cooking method for which products?

To cook edible crab and spider crab: start with cold water, place a bouquet garni in the water and plunge in the shellfish. Bring to the boil over a very low heat. After boiling, cook for 20 min. Remove from water and run under cold water to stop cooking. Wait until the shellfish is cold, then cut off the ends of the claws and turn over to remove excess water. Lobster cooking depends on its weight: generally, we use one lobster portion for two (500gr). Put only salt in the water. When the water is boiling, plunge the lobster into it and cook for 13 min. After cooking, run the lobster directly under cold water to stop the cooling process. When cold, cut off the ends of the claws and invert the lobster to remove excess water.

What utensils should I put on the table?

Picks for whelks and periwinkles, nutcrackers for crab claws and finger bowls.

What accompaniment do you recommend?

A small amount of shallot vinegar to accompany your oysters and lemon, for simplicity! Homemade mayonnaise for whelks, periwinkles etc….. (You can make your own and add a little curry to taste!) A good bottle of white wine to accompany the platter (Muscadet, Petit Chablis…).

What’s a little extra for a top-quality platter – something you don’t see everywhere?

When opening your oysters, remember to remove the muscle – it will make them taste even better!

For a change of pace, garnish your platter with lemon caviar, a little extra flavor that will make all the difference.

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