Cast Iron Grilled Seafood - Copycat Maple and Ash Grilled Seafood Tower

This recipe is based on the Char Grilled Seafood Platter from Maple and Ash Chicago. 

 Ingredients for the chili oil: 

1 package of dried guajillo chiles

5 garlic cloves, smashed just to open up

1 1/2 cups of canola

1 cup olive oil

*Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often and pushing ingredients down. Let sit to cool and then drain. Makes about 2 cups. Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge

Ingredients for garlic butter:

1 stick of butter

5 garlic cloves, minced

*Combine

Seafood (enough for 4 people):

12 clams

4 lobster tail, sliced in half lengthwise and cleaned

4 crab leg clusters, (cut open, optional)

1 1/2 pounds of jumbo shrimp, raw, peeled, deveined

8 sea scallops (you could use bay scallops too and just divide evenly among 4 people)

old bay

sea salt

pepper

Barilla, Al dente pasta pouches, ready in 60 seconds (2)

Additional butter

olive oil

Directions: (Note, I divided all the seafood into two and made half a batch at a time so as to not crowd the pans and make sure the seafood doesn't cool down while eating or overcook in the process)

1. Clean all of your seafood and portion out into two bowls. You will need to use two pans for this because piling in one would overcrowd the pan. 

2. Heat 2 cast iron pans to high heat with a TBSP of olive oil. 

3. To one pan add the crab legs and cover for 3 minutes Add the lobster and clams and cover again for 2 minutes.  Add a sprinkle of old bay and salt

4. To the other pan, add the scallops and sear for 2 minutes, flip. Then add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes and flip. Add another pad of pad of butter. 

5. Check on your pan with the clams and lobster. Make sure the clams are open and discard any that don't open. Flip the lobster.

6. Combine the shrimp and scallops and all the juices into the pan with the other seafood.  Sprinkle with old bay and add half of the garlic butter. Toss everything and then drizzle with a good amount of chili oil. Serve immediately right out of the pan. The cast iron will keep everything warm!   

For the Maple and Ash secret chef touch, don't throw your pan drippings away.  For each pan, use one pouch of barilla trofie al dente pasta.  Microwave for 60 seconds and then throw one pouch in each pan.  Heat and toss for 60 seconds and serve again right out of the pan!  This is so delicious and a great way to make sure you aren't wasting any of that goodness left in the pan!    

Note: If you're cooking for 2 people and have bay scallops, you can use the two pans going at the same time. Start with the shrimp, sear them. Remove them from the pan. Add the crab legs. After 5 minutes, add the lobster and clams for 5 minutes or until the clams are open. Then add the scallops, cover for 1 min. Add the shrimp back in with the garlic butter, toss. Then top with the chili oil. 

Wine pairing: 

Don Miguel Vineyard
Albarino
2019
Russian River Valley, CA

I also tried a grilled version and it came out great.  Check out the few differences: 

1 1/2 pounds of shrimp (about 12 large shrimp)

8 sea scallops

12 clams

4 lobster tail

2 pounds of crab legs

• Season all of your seafood by drizzling with some olive oil then sprinkle with sweet smoked paprika, garlic powder, old bay, salt, pepper. 
• Skewer the shrimp, 4 to a skewer. Use two skewers together and place the scallops through double skewers so you have a flat surface to sear. Slice the lobster tail in half and then skewer 1 lobster tail per skewer. 
• Dice a small shallot and 5-7 cloves of garlic. Set aside separately.
• Prepare a large saute pan that can go on the grill (I used a large paella pan). Add about 4-5 turns of olive oil, 1.5 sticks of butter, 1/4 cup of chili oil. 
• Place the crab legs on the grill first for about 7 minutes on medium heat. Then move to the top rack to warm as you cook everything else. 
• Turn up your grill to medium high heat. Place the pan on one side of the grill and heat up the butter and olive oil. Add your clams.
• Add your shrimp, scallops and lobster to the grill.  Close the lid. 
• After 3-5 minutes, flip your seafood and toss the clams. Add the shallot and garlic to the pan along with another 1/4 cup of chili oil. 
• After another 3-5 minutes, your clams should be open and your other seafood cooked through.  If your skewered seafood is done but clams aren't open, turn off the burners where the skewered seafood is, keep one burner on under the clams and close the lid for another few minutes until the clams open.  
• Quickly spoon out some of the butter/chili oil mixture from the bottom of the pan into one of the prep cups you have nearby. You just want some to pour over the seafood for extra flavor and a glistening finish. 
• Place the seafood skewers and the crab legs all around the pan with the clams. Drizzle that reserved chili oil over all the seafood and serve right away.