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Seafood Spread with Fresh Dill and Lemon Zest

This decadent seafood spread is a celebration of shellfish, combined with a rich dressing filled with fresh dill, parsley, cream cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
When paired with tortilla chips, crostini, or a platter of cut vegetables, this makes for an amazing appetizer that will please a crowd.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz ½ lb cooked shrimp, peeled & de-veined before cooking
  • 8 oz ½ lb cooked crab meat
  • 8 oz ½ lb cooked scallops
  • 8 oz ½ lb cooked lobster meat
  • 3 scallions (white sections finely sliced, green sections reserved as garnish)
  • 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
  • 8 oz cream cheese (1 package, softened)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup fresh dill (finely chopped)
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions 

  • To prepare the seafood spread, remove the inedible shell sections from each protein.
  • Season the meat with Kosher salt, and cook each type of shellfish in a bit of olive oil in a saute pan until each item is properly cooked through.
  • Once cooked, remove the shellfish from the heat, and set aside to chill in the refrigerator.
  • Once the cooked shellfish has cooled down to room temperature, cut into small pieces that are roughly the size of large pea, or in-between a medium and large dice.
  • Mix the shellfish pieces with the sliced white sections of scallions, minced garlic, softened cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh dill, fresh parsley, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and cayenne pepper.
  • *Reserve the green tops of the scallions in a covered container for later, to use as a garnish.
  • Taste the mixture, and season with Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
  • Add more lemon or cayenne, if desired.
  • When ready to serve, finely slice the green tops of the scallions that you reserved from earlier.
  • Sprinkle the green tops of the scallions over the top of the seafood spread.
  • Serve chilled, with chips or fresh vegetables or on top of toasted crostini. It also tastes wonderful if served in little lettuce wraps with a bit of hot sauce!

Notes

This spread will keep in your fridge for a day or two, but is best made and eaten fresh with the fresh herbs.