Shrimp and Scallop Linguine Recipe

My wife is often asked if she "always eats great food" because she is married to a catering company chef. I would like to believe the answer is "yes!" One such occasion was last weekend, when she accompanied me to a cooking demonstration that I did in Apollo Beach as part of the Parade of Homes.

Since I modeled the cooking demo around a dish that was easy to prepare and can be done by anyone, I figured I would share it here. Enjoy!

Shrimp and Scallop Linguine with White Wine Cream Sauce

Courtesy of Kevin Lacassin, Good Food Catering Company

www.GoodFoodTampa.com

Serves 2 (about 8-10 large shrimp per serving)

Here is a fantastic and easy seafood pasta that combines two mild but distinct seafood flavors, jumbo Gulf shrimp and bay scallops. This dish should have a creamy but refreshing flavor with a bite from the cayenne pepper and just the right amount of salt to remind you of the ocean. It’s a simple romantic meal for two or perfect with a glass of wine after a day at the beach or on the boat. It pairs well with an un-oaked chardonnay, but I prefer it on the spicier side with a pinot grigio to cool off.

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ pound jumbo gulf shrimp (size 26/30 work great), peeled and deveined
• ½ lb. bay scallops (the small ones)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, diced small
• ½ cup dry white wine (pinot grigio works great)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• flat leaf parsley, chopped fine, for garnish
• Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper and Cajun seasoning
• 1/3 pound dry linguine, cooked according to directions

METHOD

1. Season shrimp with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper (or Cajun seasoning).

2. Add 1/3 pound of dried linguine to a pot of boiling water, seasoned liberally with salt. Cook according to directions on the box. When finished, drain and drizzle with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

3. Meanwhile, in a heated sauté pan melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté shrimp for 3-5 minutes until almost done (the shrimp will begin to turn pink), then add scallops and cook for 1-2 more minutes, turning only once or twice. When finished, remove the seafood and reserve on a plate.

4. To the same sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter and sweat (cook slowly over medium heat) the chopped shallot for 5-6 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and sweat for 3-5 minutes longer; do not keep the heat too high to burn the garlic.

5. Add about a half-cup of white wine to deglaze the pan; turn up the heat to bring to a simmer and reduce for several minutes.

6. Then add whipping cream, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to let the sauce reduce. Taste!

7. Last, add seafood back to the sauté pan to reheat, then add cooked pasta, sprinkle with chopped parsley and fold all ingredients together. Add more cream if necessary to get an even coating on all of the pasta.

8. Serve with some warm French bread and glass of white wine.