Delicacies: Serving a Fancy Seafood Dinner

Consider serving one of these fine seafood delicacies at your next fancy dinner party, especially if you want a rousing crowd reaction and positive feedback later in the night:

Caviar

Historically one of the rarest high-class dishes a person can serve, caviar is renowned for its unique flavor and delicate texture. One should always resist the temptation to serve caviar as part of a larger ensemble dish; it is best served alone and using appropriate materials. Stick to scooping up the caviar using nonmetal spoons, as metallic surfaces can taint the flavor of the caviar, resulting in a very expensive offering that few people will be willing to eat. Spoons made out of mother of pearl are largely preferred.

If you need to store the caviar for later because not enough guests have partaken in this treat, be sure to transport anything remaining directly to the fridge. You can typically refrigerate caviar for several weeks and retain most of its flavor, though you never want to eat caviar that’s been left sitting out at room temperature or warmer for any extended period of time.

Oysters

If you opt for oysters at your dinner, you won’t have to follow nearly as many rules as with caviar. Oysters can be served steamed, boiled, baked, fried, and in many other ways, so you can base your choice depending on the health and palette needs of the individuals at your dinner. Many people enjoy eating oysters with only salt and butter, but other add-ons such as lemon juice remain popular as well. If you’d rather go for an elaborate presentation instead of sticking to simplicity, you can always serve them raw with white wine and other luxury ingredients, but remember that consuming raw edibles can be potentially harmful.

Lobster

Lobster is one of the most versatile seafood dishes, prepared in a variety of ways but still considered a delicacy when served in most forms. From lobster bisque and rolls to the Lobster Thermidor that is often served at upper crust eateries, there are few ways to really mess up lobster preparation if you’re an experienced cook. Still, you want to make sure you time the lobster cooking properly, and typically the guideline is 3 minutes per pound of lobster, following 7 or so minutes for the first pound.