The devil is in the details
Nowhere does this idiom ring truer than in the cooking of spicy seafood linguine. Although cooking seafood and pasta seem fairly simple and quick, one must really do their homework to excel with a tasty dish. For example, boiling pasta is never as simple as adding it to water and draining it. Instead, the process involves salting the water and remaining ever watchful to make sure it’s not overcooked and mushy, not to mention keeping some of the leftover pasta water for later to help incorporate into a sauce.
The same idea goes with seafood. Every fillet of fish, prawn, shrimp, cut of calamari or octopus, and shellfish has it’s own unique cooking time. If you don’t pay attention, you risk rubbery, overcooked tentacles and no one wants that. Although this pasta dish looks pretty simple to make you’ll only succeed in making it truly tasty if you give it the care and attention it deserves. Take your time with the garlic, red pepper and olive oil. Handle the seafood with care and keep a watchful eye on both the pasta and the clock. Your reward if you succeed will not only be impressing yourself with your culinary prowess but also your fellow dinner guests with a delicious plate of spicy seafood linguine.
Spicy Seafood Linguine cooked with White Wine
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3-4 1x
Description
This spicy seafood linguine is rich with white fish, prawns and calamari tossed in a garlic and red chili infused olive oil with white wine. #seafood #fish #fish #calamari #spicy #pasta #healthyrecipes
Ingredients
- the cloves of 1 head of garlic (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp-2 tsp red pepper flakes (depends on your preference for heat)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine
- 10–12 medium to large-sized shrimps or prawns (peeled and deveined)
- 1 squid (cleaned, prepared and cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 large fillet of white ocean fish (John Dory, halibut, haddock)
- 400 g (about 14 oz) uncooked linguine
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot seafood stock (optional)
- 2–3 pats of butter
Instructions
- Thinly slice garlic cloves, add to extra virgin olive oil along with red pepper flakes and slowly heat on a low flame in a large pan with a lid.
- While the garlic and red pepper are infusing into the oil, start cooking the pasta. Bring 3-4 quarts/liters of water to boil. When water is at a heavy boil, add sea salt. I recommend adding 1 heaping tbsp of salt for every 2 quarts/liters. Add the pasta and cook until al dente then drain*. Try to set aside a cup or so of pasta water.
- When garlic is tender and starting to crisp (be careful NOT to burn it) and the oil has taken on a slightly reddish hue from the red pepper, turn heat to high and add white wine. Bring it to a boil, add the fillet of fish, spoon wine sauce over the meat, reduce heat to a medium flame, cover and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the meat is firm and flaky.
- Uncover, add calamari and shrimp or prawns. Stir into the sauce, cover and cook for 2-3 min. This shouldn’t take too long so be vigilant and try avoid overcooking. The meat of the shrimp or prawn should turn white with pink tails and slightly curled. For calamari, you want the flesh to be slightly firm with an opaque color. If overcooked, it can become rubbery so don’t cook it too long.
- When all seafood has been cooked, uncover and turn off the heat. Add cooked pasta along with seafood stock (optional) or 1/4 cup (60ml) of the leftover pasta water. Drizzle with 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, add 2-3 pats of butter and toss to combine.
Notes
- Normally I don’t recommend draining the pasta since it is actually better to just use pasta tongs to transfer the pasta straight from the water to the sauce. However, if you are adding the optional seafood stock instead of pasta water, drain the linguine to avoid over-salting the dish.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Seafood, Pasta
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Italian
Beautiful seafood recipes to dine on:
John Dory poached in Tomato and Chili Broth
Lemon Pepper Calamari with a Lemon and Thyme Aioli
Anchovy Pasta with Parmesan Breadcrumbs
