As a special treat for guests at your next holiday gathering, birthday party or other special event, set up a restaurant-style seafood bar, complete with appetizers and entrees. Seafood bars are also ideal for wedding receptions, whether you plan on handling the food yourself or hiring a catering company.
The best way to set up a seafood bar for a special event is to include a variety of options so that you can accommodate all of your guests. In case any of the party-goers are allergic to seafood, don't like it or are vegetarian, be sure to provide a few other food options, such as pizza or pasta, as well.
If you're on a limited budget, consider using frozen seafood, such as shrimp, that can taste just as good as fresh when thawed. If you prefer to use only fresh, local seafood, keep your menu flexible so that you can use whatever delicacy is on sale.
Here are some ideas for creating a taste-tempting seafood bar for your next soiree:
Appetizers
1. Ceviche
Give your guests a taste of the tropics with small bowls of tangy shrimp ceviche. Start by boiling peeled and de-veined small or medium shrimp and allowing them to thoroughly cool. Place them into a bowl and add lime juice, olive oil and seasoning such as fresh cilantro, hot sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper and finely-chopped onion, according to your taste.
Mix all of the ingredients together and allow it to marinate in your refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the flavors to mingle. Serve the ceviche in individual bowls on the seafood bar.
2. Bacon-wrapped Scallops
As another decadent appetizer option, place bacon-wrapped scallops on the bar. Place one toothpick into each cooked scallop for the perfect bite-sized portion.
3. Crab Dip
Depending on your budget, use either real or imitation crab meat to create a creamy dip that you can serve with corn chips, crackers, or a mixture of both. To add a little bit of kick to the rich dip, add a few drops of hot sauce to the mix.
You can either serve a cold dip featuring thoroughly cooked crab, or a hot, broiled version topped with melted cheese.
Entrees
1. Shrimp Tacos
Allow your guests to create their own seafood tacos by including all of the ingredients, such as grilled shrimp, tortillas, salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese, on the bar. Provide other options, such as shredded chicken and refried beans, to accommodate all of your friends and family members.
2. Oyster Stew
Perfect for a cold winter gathering, thick and creamy oyster stew makes a filling main course when served with crackers and/or crusty French bread. You can also include another soup option, such as clam chowder or a rich seafood bouillabaisse, on the bar.
3. Pasta
Create a seafood pasta bar with a variety of cooked pasta, such as penne, spaghetti and linguine. After choosing their preferred pasta, guests can top it with shrimp Alfredo, spicy, tomato-based shrimp Creole or baked scallops in a garlic butter sauce, among other options.
For more advice, contact a business such as Adventures Pub & Spirits.
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