food+drink

Seafood Pasta

Last evening I did yet another variation on my quick pasta recipe. I keep tweaking this recipe (usually as the mood takes me) and it keeps getting better! This time I used some frozen mixed seafood.

Serves: 2 (if greedy/hungry) or 4 (as a normal main course)
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

You will want:

  • Pasta (variety of your choice, I used some dried shapes)
  • 400g mixed seafood (I used Waitrose frozen raw Fruits de Mer containing king prawns, squid, mussels and scallops)
  • 100g button mushrooms, halved
  • 12 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 medium red onions, not too finely chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped small or crushed
  • 12 olives, stoned and halved (optional)
  • Juice and zest of 2 limes (or 1 lemon)
  • a small chilli, chopped fine, seeds removed if very hot (optional)
  • a big bunch parsley, stems removed but not chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp thick double cream (optional)
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil and/or butter

And this is what you do:

  1. Have everything prepared and ready, and get the pasta on to cook.
  2. While the pasta cooks, sauté the onion, garlic, olives & chilli in a tablespoon of olive oil and a good knob of butter until translucent (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add the seafood to the pan, put on a lid, and allow to cook for 10 minutes. (If you’re using ready cooked seafood, then start this only once the pasta is done, and cook for only 2-3 minutes.)
  4. Remove the lid and add the mushrooms, lime (or lemon), and a good grind of black pepper; cook for a further minute or two. (Don’t worry if this looks too wet; we want some sauce. If too dry add a splash of white wine or dry vermouth.)
  5. Now add the tomatoes, and keep cooking for another minute or two to get the tomatoes hot through but not disintegrating.
  6. Now add the parsley and tomato paste; adjust the amount of tomato paste to thicken the sauce to your preference.
  7. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.
  8. Return to a very gentle heat and add the cooked and drained pasta. Coat the pasta in the sauce.
  9. Serve immediately in warmed pasta dishes. Garnish with a bit more parsley and/or grated parmesan if desired. And of course a glass of chilled white or rosé wine on the side.

Enjoy! We did!