Recipes > Seafood Tower Appetizer

Seafood Tower Appetizer

Details

Fresh crab, shrimp, avocado, roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes are layered together to form this impressive and delectable appetizer.
  • Serves: 4
  • Active Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
  • Views: 53,370
  • Success Rating: 93% (?)
    0% - I fed it to the dog
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Steps

Step 1: Roasting the Yellow Peppers

Roasting the Yellow Peppers
  • 2 yellow bell peppers

Method

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Roast the peppers in the oven until golden brown and blistered, about 30 minutes. If you want to cut down your time in the kitchen, move onto another step until the peppers are ready.

Once the peppers are ready, remove from the oven. Immediately place them into a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. This creates steam that will loosen the skins making the peppers easier to peel.

Allow them to sit, covered for at least 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2: Making the Dill Dressing

Making the Dill Dressing
  • 3 sprigs fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Method

Finely chop the dill and mix with the buttermilk, lemon juice and sour cream. The consistency of the dressing should be quite thick.

Step 3: Making the Chive Oil

Making the Chive Oil
  • 1 cup parsley
  • 1 1/2 cups olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 bunches fresh chives

Method

Note: This will make more chive oil than you need, but this amount is required for most blenders to be able to blend the mixture properly. The left-over chive oil can be used as an alternative to plain oil in other salad dressings, and will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Finely slice one bunch of the chives and set aside for the crab mix.

Coarsely chop the remaining two bunches of chives, along with the parsley. Place the herbs into a blender, along with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until you get a bright-green color. This should take about a minute. Strain into a bowl. If it seems too thick, add a bit more oil.

Step 4: Preparing the Seafood

Preparing the Seafood
  • 4 oz fresh baby shrimp
  • 4 oz fresh crab meat

Method

Set aside a few nice pieces of shrimp for garnish. Give the remaining shrimp a rough chop.

Set aside a few nice pieces of crab for garnish. Roughly chop the remaining crab meat. Add the reserved chives and a few tablespoons of dill dressing to the crab meat and mix together.

Step 5: Preparing the Vegetables

Preparing the Vegetables
  • 1 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 whole, ripe avocados
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Method

Once the roasted peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and seeds, and finely dice. Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes.

The last step prior to assembling is to dice the avocados. Cut the avocados in half. Remove the pit and scoop out the flesh. Dice the avocados and then add the lime juice. Add the salt and pepper and mix gently, making sure the avocado pieces retain their shape.

Step 6: Assembling the Seafood Tower

Assembling the Seafood Tower

Method

This recipe requires a mold and plunger. If you don’t have one you can use a small can (156ml) for the mold and a small bottle for the plunger (see note, below).

Start by placing the mold onto an individual serving plate.

There are only a few things to keep in mind when assembling the seafood tower:

1) You will need a solid base, so start with the yellow peppers.

2) To make a stable tower, you have to pack down each layer with the plunger.

3) Rinse the plunger between each layer.

4) Only use about a tablespoon for each layer and alternate layers for color and texture.

Removing the mold requires a delicate hand. As you pull up on the mold, apply a light downward pressure with the plunger.

Finish the plate with a drizzle of the chive oil and a little of the dill dressing.

Chef's Notes

This tower is beautifully light and delicious. The combination of colors, textures, and flavors makes it a great choice for an appetizer or a light lunch.

The seafood tower is a fresh, simple appetizer that will take you about an hour from start to finish, and everything but the assembly can be done ahead of time. Just make sure that the seafood you buy is very fresh and the avocados are ripe, but firm.

Next time, try substituting finely diced sushi-grade, raw tuna for the shrimp or crab.

To make a mold, use a small can and remove both ends. For the plunger use a small bottle that just fits inside of the can. Be sure to wrap the bottom of the bottle in plastic wrap before using.

12 Comments

  • Alex L
    Alex L
    Can you advise on the diameter of the mould? Thanks
  • Joe G
    Joe G
    The one we used was about 2 inches (the size of a small tomato paste can). Hope this helps.
  • Christina M
    Christina M
    I can not seem to find this type of mold with a plunger. Any suggestions on where to purchase? I was going to try and improvise but this is much too nice of a salad to goof up it's presentation!!
  • Tobe T
    Tobe T
    A tomato paste can works great for the ring mold and check your spice drawer for the plunger. Most of my spice containers seemed to fit perfectly inside the tomato paste can.
  • Jose lyndo A
    Jose lyndo A
    hi there. just curious. are the seafoods cooked or raw? since you made the mold and the plunger device, can i buy it from you?
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    The tuna in this recipe is raw tuna.
  • Romeo G
    Romeo G
    this is great,,,but i am trying to make some peppers oil,,how can i do that??please help!!!!!
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    Do you mean roasted red pepper oil? If so it is quite easy. Follow these instructions, but use roasted peppers instead. cheers!
  • Romeo G
    Romeo G
    thak you for that how you make reduced pepper oil????
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    Romeo, I am sorry, I am not sure what "reduced pepper oil" is?
  • Tri L
    Tri L
    I made seafood tower last week. All my guests like it very much. I use same concept but add on lobster and abalone. It cost me $5.00 for the mold.
  • Mika L
    Mika L
    Was the tuna removed from the recipe?

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