I prepared this pasta at the Santa Fe Foodie Classic last weekend. The scallops and shrimp have a lovely sweetness and the mussels add the perfect briny bite. Try to purchase dry pack scallops if possible, but if only only wet pack are available, be sure to dry them well on paper toweling before adding them to the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
1# dry linguine pasta or fresh pasta if available
8 ea sea scallops
8 ea jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 T olive oil
8 ea garlic cloves, minced
1 ea shallot, minced
2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 C dry white wine
1/2 C chicken broth
8 ea mussels
1 basket grape tomatoes
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 bunch parsley
1 ea lemon
2 pc thick cut bacon, diced
1 C panko bread crumbs
1 t thyme
salt and pepper
METHOD:
Prepare pasta water. Fill a large pot with 1 gallon water and heat over high heat. (When water comes up to a boil, add 2 T salt)
Prepare breadcrumbs: Sauté bacon in a little oil in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper toweling. Add panko to skillet along with thyme and fry until golden and fragrant. Add reserved bacon and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook pasta: Add pasta and cook to pkg directions.
While pasta is cooking, prepare seafood: Rinse shrimp and scallops. Pat them dry with paper towels before cooking. Season scallops and shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 1T oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sear seasoned shrimp and scallops until golden, turning only once, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add 1T oil to the same pan. Add garlic, shallots and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds. Deglaze with wine and broth, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return shrimp and scallops to the pan. Stir in mussels and halved grape tomatoes. Cover and steam 3-4 minutes or until mussels open. Discard any muscles that don’t open. Add drained pasta and season with S&P. Remove from heat. Add butter, parsley and zest and juice of ½ lemon. Top with prepared bread crumbs and serve.
SERVES 4