Seafood Fettuccine
Growing up in New Jersey, we ate a lot of mussels. At the store, I found some beautiful mussels and, to go along with them, some beautiful shrimp.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven 6-quart
- 1 pot 6-quart
- 1 colander
- 1 hand-held juicer
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 pounds mussels Beards removed, and shells cleaned
- 2 pounds jumbo shrimp Shelled, cleaned, deveined, and tails removed
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsps butter Unsalted
- 6 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp of saffron
- 1 large onion Diced
- 3 cups Roma tomatoes Diced
- 1 tbsp Agave nectar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground
- 1/2 bottle dry white wine Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
- 1 cup chicken broth unsalted
- 2 tbsps Pernod
- 3 tbsps lemon zest 3 to 4 large lemons
- 1/3 cup lemon juice Freshly squeezed
- 2 tbsps tarragon leaves Finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley Roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 boxes fettuccine 1 1/2 pounds
- Reserve: 1 to 2 ladles of the starchy pasta cooking liquid If needed
- Garnish:
- 2 lemons sliced into rounds
Instructions
- Cleaning the mussels is easy. First, check for any *beards, and pull them off. Fill your sink with cold water and add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir the flour through. Toss in the mussels. The mussels are like little filters; they'll drink up the flour and then spit it out along with any sand.Drain and rinse them well. Any mussels that aren't closed: tap on the counter if they don't close on their own; discard them- they're no longer alive. The same rule applies after they're cooked. If they don't open, throw them out; they're no good.Peel and devein the shrimp and remove all the tails.This dish cooks quickly. First, have a large pot of salted boiling water ready on the back burner. Second, make sure to have all the vegetables prepped (according to the ingredient list above) and set aside.In a large preheated heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter. Add the red pepper flakes, minced garlic, and lemon zest, and stir to combine. Add the diced onions, season with the kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, stir, and cook for 2-3 minutes.Moving forward, add the Pernod, lemon juice, and Agave nectar, stirring frequently; add the diced tomatoes, and mix to combine. Add the white wine, chicken broth, and saffron. Bring the liquid to a boil for 3-5 minutes. Next, add the mussels, shrimp, and tarragon, stir, and cover. Cook for 5-7 minutes. This is the perfect time to drop the fettuccine.Remove the lid and stir, making sure all the mussels have opened and the shrimp are perfectly cooked.Cook the pasta until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the fettuccine to the pot containing the seafood. Add the chopped parsley and toss through.The pasta will absorb the broth. If you need to add more liquid, add 1 or 2 ladles of the starchy pasta cooking liquid.Garnish with lemon slices. I like to serve this dish with crusty bread to soak up as much broth as possible.There you have it, my Seafood Fettuccine.
Notes
1) *Beard: The beard is also known as byssus threads. They're filaments that the mussel uses to secure itself to hard surfaces. They're usually brownish and may appear somewhat like seaweed.
2) *Pernod: Pernod is an Anise-flavored liqueur.
3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.