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Nigerian Premium Seafood Platter

The Nigerian Premium Seafood Platter is the most spectacular and prestigious presentation in Nigerian fine dining — a generous platter of premium fresh seafood served alongside the finest Nigerian condiments and sauces. The platter typically includes whole cooked lobster halves, large king prawns, fresh crab claws, periwinkles cooked in spiced broth, premium smoked catfish and any seasonal shellfish available.

Nigerian Premium Seafood Platter, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 2 whole fresh lobsters, cooked (boiled or steamed) and halved
  • A big handful of king prawns, cooked and chilled
  • 2 whole cooked crabs, cracked at the claws
  • A big handful of large fresh periwinkles, cooked in well-spiced pepper soup broth and chilled
  • 2 pieces of premium smoked catfish, neatly presented whole
  • Any seasonal fresh shellfish available FOR THE FOUR NIGERIAN CONDIMENTS:
  • Warm Banga Reduction (Recipe #306)
  • Cold Ata Dindin sauce (Recipe #217)
  • Concentrated Pepper Soup broth in small glasses — very well-seasoned and strained clear
  • Crayfish Butter: a big stick of softened butter whipped with 2 big handfuls of ground crayfish, a pinch of Cameroon pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice FOR PRESENTATION:
  • A large platter or wide wooden board
  • Crushed ice — generous quantity
  • Fresh lemon wedges
  • Micro herbs or fresh parsley for colour

Method

  1. 01

    Cooking the Lobsters. Steam or boil whole lobsters for 12 minutes. Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water with ice to stop the cooking. Once cold, halve lengthwise. Clean out the digestive tract. Chill on crushed ice.

  2. 02

    Preparing the Periwinkles. Cook the periwinkles in a well-spiced pepper soup broth (Atarodo, uziza seeds, crayfish, seasoning) for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the broth so they absorb maximum flavour. Drain and chill.

  3. 03

    Making the Crayfish Butter. Soften the butter until very pliable. Add ground crayfish, Cameroon pepper and lemon juice. Beat or whip until everything is fully combined. Roll into a log shape in cling film. Refrigerate until firm. Slice into rounds just before serving.

  4. 04

    Assembling the Platter. Cover the large platter generously with crushed ice. Arrange the seafood with visual drama and abundance — lobster halves at the back, king prawns and crab claws in the middle, periwinkles, smoked catfish and shellfish in the front. Garnish generously with fresh lemon wedges and micro herbs or parsley.

  5. 05

    Presenting the Condiments. Arrange the four Nigerian condiments in small bowls around the edge of the platter — the warm Banga Reduction, the cold Ata Dindin, the Pepper Soup broth shots and the Crayfish Butter rounds.

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