Seafood with Linguine

Inspired by my last post, I wanted to share this decadent pasta dish with you. It is heavy on seafood, and a little expensive when it comes to ingredients, but well worth it. If you're looking to feed a crowd, here's the best bet for a delicious alternative to the weekend roast.

Seafood with Pasta and White Wine Butter Sauce
Serves 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

• 1 lb shrimp, 21-30 count, peeled and de-veined
• 1 lb littleneck clams, or other small steamer variety, brushed clean
• 1 lb mussels, also brushed clean and beards pulled off
• This process means carefully pulling off the seaweed-like attachment found at the opening of some mussels, called a beard
• 1/2 lb squid (calamari), cleaned and sliced
• Make sure there is no beak in the squid, and this is a time that you could use thawed, previously frozen calamari, but not breaded
• 1 lb linguine pasta

In a large pot, bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup of white wine to a boil. Add the clams. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the mussels. Cook another 2 or 3 minutes before adding the squid. Allow to steam another 2 or 3 minutes before adding the shrimp. Cook 2 or 3 minutes more, and set aside.

For the Sauce...

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 oz.)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup seafood stock (easily made from the shells of the shrimp)
• 2 tbsp shallots, minced
• 1 tbsp garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter over medium heat with the olive oil and add the shallots. Cook until softened.  Add the garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes and then add the lemon zest. Cook one more minute and add the wine. Reduce by about half. Add the seafood stock. Season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to high and cook for 5 minutes. Add the parsley. Taste for seasonings, adjust to your taste, and serve tossed with the pasta and seafood prepared above.