Food Holidays & Occasions New Year's Eve 14 Fancy Seafood Dishes for Special Occasions Nothing says celebration like luxe seafood to pair with bubbly. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 20, 2023 Close Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Fresh, pristine seafood like oysters, buttery salmon, and sweet, plump scallops can elevate any special occasion menu. Here's an array of extra-elegant, Champagne-worthy seafood recipes with which to celebrate, from shared starters like layers of caviar dip and a vibrant raw tuna appetizer, to centerpiece-worthy Salmon Wellington and Lobster Thermidor. Here are some of our most fancy seafood dishes for gatherings. 01 of 14 Barbecued Oysters with Smoky Uni Butter Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Max Rappaport Briny uni and acidic lemon, mixed with smoky paprika and rich butter, combine to make an extraordinarily flavored butter to top oysters before roasting. Get the Recipe 02 of 14 Four-Layer Caviar Dip Justin Walker Layers of creamy egg salad, crisp red onion, herbed cream cheese, and salty, briney caviar come together in a beautiful molded dip that serves up an entire caviar platter in one dish. Get the Recipe 03 of 14 Thai-Style Shrimp Cocktail Aubrie Pick Serve this irresistible shrimp cocktail around the rim of a coupe glass with a quick garlic aioli and super spicy fish sauce–based dipping sauce. Get the Recipe 04 of 14 Gougères with Smoked Salmon, Caviar and Prosciutto Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Gougères are one of those snacks that deliver a lot flavor and are easy to make. Topped with smoked salmon and sevruga caviar, they're perfect for a cocktail party and can be ready in an hour. Get the Recipe 05 of 14 Neoclassic Seafood Salad Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Alfred Portale's recipe for this famous stacked salad from Gotham Bar and Grill is simple: high-quality ingredients, good execution, and an elaborate presentation. Get the Recipe 06 of 14 Tuna Tiradito with Ají Amarillo Leche de Tigre Greg DuPree Raw sashimi-grade tuna is draped in a sauce of lemon juice, orange juice, chiles, and ají amarillo chiles, which give the sauce its brilliant color and are about twice as hot as jalapeños. Serve this flavorful dish with blue potato chips for a bold pop of crunch and color. Get the Recipe 07 of 14 Spicy Tuna Sushi "Biscotti" Victor Protasio Crispy thin cakes of fried sushi rice with toppings like spicy tuna or miso-basted eggplant play well with wine pairings based on the texture of the fish and the sauce used. Get the Recipe 08 of 14 Lobster Thermidor Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Classic lobster thermidor stuffs gently cooked lobster meat back in its shell with a wine-based sauce and a touch of cheese before coming together under the broiler. The natural sweetness of lobster still shines through the rich, but not heavy, cremini mushroom and dry Sherry-laced creamy sauce. Get the Recipe 09 of 14 Salmon Wellington Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Barrett Washburne Wrap salmon loin with cabbage leaves, then layer it with shrimp, nori, and puff pastry before baking it for this impressive dish that's a perfect seafood centerpiece. Get the Recipe 10 of 14 Mussels with Harissa and Basil Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas A creamy, smoky red pepper puree gets swirled into these harissa-spiked steamed mussels for a striking presentation. Get the Recipe 11 of 14 Crisp Paupiettes of Sea Bass in Barolo Sauce Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Risha Carnes Daniel Boulud's paupiette with sea bass, Idaho potatoes, leeks, and Barolo was the result of “a succession of inspiration," with the textural contrast of crisp potato and delicate fish served at Le Cirque and then restaurant Daniel. A worthy main course for any special occasion. Get the Recipe 12 of 14 Scallop Crudo with Pecans and Ponzu Sauce © Con Poulos This super-simple recipe from chef Eric Ripert features thin slices of fresh, high-quality, raw sea scallops topped with the delicious combination of chopped toasted pecans, Japanese ponzu sauce, and aged balsamic vinegar. Get the Recipe 13 of 14 Scallops with Potato Pancakes and Caviar Sauce © John Kernick Vinny Dotolo found inspiration for this elegant dish by thinking about New Year's Eve classics. Both Champagne and caviar flavor the butter sauce that he spoons over seared scallops set on mini potato pancakes. Get the Recipe 14 of 14 Black Cod with Miso © Chris Court Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's iconic, buttery miso cod recipe is both easy and elegant. This streamlined recipe delivers all the luxury and flavor in a fraction of the time. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit