Irish Ultimate Seafood Platter

Cooking Irish can also be found at PETITCHEF and Pinterest.

                

  

      

Eli and I at home in Trim, County Meath 1984

This is a bit pricey but well worth the effort as a dinner entrée; a smaller version can be made as a dinner salad. The first time I had this plate was in one of my favorite Irish cities, Drogheda. I named my Dalmation after my two of my favorite cites in Ireland: Drogheda Dun Laoghaire. I guess I need to adopt another dog to name it Mullingar Kinsale after my other two favorite Irish places. Situated on the Irish Sea, Drogheda is a port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 35 miles north of Dublin. Founded in 1194, it was a walled city and still retains the flavor of a medieval city. The St. Laurence Gate looms as a reminder of that ancient time. The city is alive with theatre and performing arts, music, and visual arts.  Seafood here is so fresh since it is right on the Irish Sea. The estate in The Thorn Birds was named after this lovely Irish city though the pronunciation of the name of the estate in Australia was Anglicized. 

The Ultimate Irish Seafood Salad

Ingredients for one salad: 

1 whole lobster 
2 large crab legs
6 clams
6 mussels 
4 jumbo shrimp 
4 large sea scallops 
Bed of mixed greens to cover a large serving platter 
Avocado, sliced 
Olives of choice (I like bleu cheese stuffed green olives) 
Lemon olive oil (I order a case at a time of Monini online)
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of fresh lemon
Lemon wedges for garnish 

Directions:

Buy lobster, crab, and shrimp precooked for easier assembly. Steam clams and mussels in water seasoned with Old Bay or Phillips until open. Sauté scallops until translucent. Do not overcook. They become rubbery very quickly. Dress the salad greens with the fresh lemon and the lemon olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss well. Do not over dress. You do not want the greens to be wilty. They should retain their crispness. Place the salad greens on a large platter. Arrange the seafood so it is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Add the avocado slices and olives. Garnish with lemon wedges. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon.

And bring a large appetite. This is not a dainty women's luncheon entrée. It reminds me of the Irish version of Maryland's fresh crab and beer fest served on newspaper tablecloths. The fun part of that outing is eating and clubbing with your hands, drinking, and enjoying a feast with your friends for the afternoon at a local waterfront eatery. And with this salad--get your hands dirty. Crack open that lobster and crab legs! Have fun with it!