Pasta with Red and White Seafood Sauces
- 1 1/2 pounds of large shrimp
- 1 quarter pound of butter, one stick
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped scallions
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic
- Few grinds each of salt and pepper
- 1 pound of linguine, angel hair, or your favorite pasta
- Chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup plain or seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 cup pasta cooking water
- Optional, grated parmigiana cheese
- 1/3rd cup of olive oil, 4 garlic cloves, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 dozen live little neck clams about 3 pounds
- 1 pound linguini
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped flat Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup of olive oil, 6 garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon of Tuscany seasoning
- 3 dozen live little neck clams
- 2 tablespoon thinly sliced scallions
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons chopped flat Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound linguine cooked al dente
- Parmigiana cheese
- salt and pepper
- 3-pounds fresh plum tomatoes
- 3/4 cup olive oil or more
- 3 large garlic cloves cut in quarters
- Fresh basil, cut in strips
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound Rigatoni or your favorite pasta
- 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 10 large garlic cloves with skin
- 1/2 teaspoon Tuscany seasoning (or several fresh sage leaves, a sprig of rosemary and a 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt)
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 to 1 ¼ pounds large shrimp preferably with shells
- 1 28 oz. ounce can crushed roasted tomatoes, “Dei Fratelli PRIMA QUALITY Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes” or similar.
- 1-pound penne, rigatoni or other favorite pasta
This Red Shrimp Sauce is flavorful without overpowering delicate shrimp. Premium plum tomatoes without puree imported from San Marino Italy are preferred. Finished sauce should be light retaining some fresh tomato taste.
Ingredients are assembled and systematically cooked in a single flavor pot capturing all flavors, shrimp’s shells tossed in hot oil.
To help ensure shrimp are not overcooked, they are quick sauteed in the same flavor pot in garlic oil until outsides are just pink and slightly translucent inside. They are frigerated, reheated in the warm shrimp sauce just before serving.
Base sauce is made with a combination of premium crushed tomatoes, slow simmered garlic infused olive oil, and lots of fresh basil. Combined with shrimp results in a remarkably delicious sauce. Next recipe further enhances the dish with mussels and clams.
This recipe will easily serve 8.
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 1 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Remaining Ingredients
- 2 pounds of large shrimp, 21 to 30 per pound, preferably with shells
- 2-28oz cans of crushed or whole premium plum tomatoes*
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 or 4 5-inch stalks of fresh basil.
- Salt, black pepper and additional red pepper flakes.
- Bottled clam juice
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds of linguini or your favorite pasta
Garlic Oil...Well ahead remove course tips from garlic and slice each in half lengthwise. Retain skin. Place in a narrow butter melting style pot with 1 cup olive oil, pinches of Kosher salt and red pepper. Place over medium heat. As the oil starts to simmer, reduce heat to lowest. Garlic and oil are ready when skins are released, and garlic is tanned, softened, and sweet. Remove skins and set pot aside.
Remove shrimp shells. Cook shells in some of the garlic oil until for about 5 minutes. Remove skins with a slotted spoon reserving as much of the liquid as you can. Discard the shells.
Quick toss shrimp until lightly pink outside, still slightly translucent inside. When cooled to room temperature refrigerate.
Add the remainder of Peter's infused garlic and oil, canned tomatoes, red pepper flakes, basil stocks, and about a cup of clam juice. Simmer mostly covered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more bottled clam juice (or water) as needed. Remove basil stocks.
When pasta is almost cooked al dente, reheat the shrimp and residual juices in the sauce. Reserve a cup of pasta water. Strain pasta. Place in a bowl or serving platter
Toss pasta with some of the shrimp sauce. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water for desired consistency. Add more sauce on top plus more sauce to serve.
Another option, place in individual serving dishes also topped with more shrimp sauce.
Traditional Red Seafood Sauce with Shrimp, Clams, and Mussels
Base recipe is a version of my “Delicate Red Shrimp Sauce” with the addition of hard-shell clams and mussels. Volume of shrimp is reduced to 1 ½ pounds and an additional can of tomato is needed.
As discussed above, seafood sauce must be light, not overcooked to retain taste of fresh tomato. Premium tomatoes without puree imported from San Marino Italy are preferred.
Clams: Hard shell clams come in a variety of sizes. The larger the clams, the chewier the meat with prolonged cooking to open. Smaller Littleneck clams are a good option for this recipe
Select a large master pot with room to toss all ingredients.
Ingredients:
Slow simmered garlic oil
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 1 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Remaining Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds of large shrimp, 21 to 30 per pound, preferably with shells
- 3-28oz cans of crushed tomatoes without puree from San Marino Italy
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 or 4 5-inch stalks of fresh basil.
- Salt, black pepper and additional red pepper flakes as needed.
- Bottled clam juice
- 32 live littleneck clams
- 1-pound large fresh mussels
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds of linguini or your favorite pasta
Garlic oil…Well ahead remove course tips from garlic and slice each in half lengthwise. Retain skin. Place in a narrow butter melting style pot with 1 cup olive oil, pinches of Kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat. As the oil starts to simmer, reduce heat to lowest. Garlic and oil are ready when skins are released, garlic is tanned, softened, and sweet, a couple of hours. Remove skins and set pot aside.
Clean shrimp reserving shells. Sautee shells with some of the garlic oil for about 5 minutes. Remove skins with a slotted spoon reserving as much of the liquid as you can. Discard shells.
Quick toss shrimp with medium heat until lightly pink outside, still slightly translucent inside. Refrigerate until close to adding to sauce.
Add the remainder of Peter's infused garlic and oil, canned tomatoes, red pepper flakes, basil stocks, and about a cup of clam juice. Simmer with cover ajar for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more bottled clam juice (or water) as needed.
While simmering, scrub clams and mussels under cold water. Remove "beards" from the mussels. Set aside.
Sauce will be ready to finish in about 2 hours. Replenish moisture with additional clam broth as needed
Near dinnertime, place pasta in briskly boiling salted water.
When pasta is almost cooked al dente, reheat the shrimp and residual juices in the sauce. Reserve a cup of pasta water. Strain pasta. Place in a bowl or serving platterRemove basil from sauce. Increase heat, spread clams and mussels over sauce and cover. Discard any that do not open. Add shrimp to warm and quickly finish.
Strain pasta when al dente.
Place pasta into a large serving bowl. Toss with sauce. Generously top with seafood. Have additional seafood available.
Unconventional Red Seafood Sauce with Shrimp, Clams, and Mussels
This is among my very favorite recipes.
Base also is a version of my “Delicate Red Shrimp Sauce” with the addition of hard-shell clams and mussels.
As discussed above, seafood sauce must be light, not overcooked to retain taste of fresh tomato. Premium tomatoes without puree imported from San Marino Italy are preferred.
Traditional version, live clams and mussels are opened by simmering in the sauce. This unconventional technique, live clams are shucked, opened over a bowl to capture all juices, and gently finished in the sauce helping to retaining their flavors by not overcooking.
Fresh mussels are replaced with frozen, steamed in garlic sauce. Heated, they make a delicious appetizer. Added to sauce they greatly enhances flavors. They conveniently come in 2 sealed pound packages.
Select a large master pot with room to toss all ingredients.
Ingredients:
Slow simmered garlic oil
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 1 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Remaining Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds of large shrimp, 21 to 30 per pound, preferably with shells
- 3-28oz cans of crushed tomatoes without puree from San Marino Italy
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 or 4 5-inch stalks of fresh basil.
- Salt, black pepper and additional red pepper flakes as needed.
- Bottled clam juice
- 32 live littleneck or cherrystone clams
- 1-pound large frozen mussels garlic sauce discussed above.
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds of linguini or your favorite pasta
Garlic oil…Well ahead remove course tips from garlic and slice each in half lengthwise. Retain skin. Place in a narrow butter melting style pot with 1 cup olive oil, pinches of Kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat. As the oil starts to simmer, reduce heat to lowest. Garlic and oil are ready when skins are released, garlic is tanned, softened, and sweet, a couple of hours. Remove skins and set pot aside.
Clean shrimp reserving shells. Sautee shells with some of the garlic oil for about 5 minutes. Remove skins with a slotted spoon reserving as much of the liquid as you can. Discard shells.
Quick toss shrimp with medium heat until lightly pink outside, still slightly translucent inside. Refrigerate until added to sauce.
Add the remainder of Peter's infused garlic and oil, canned tomatoes, red pepper flakes, basil stocks, and about a cup of clam juice. Simmer with cover ajar for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more bottled clam juice (or water) as needed.
While Sause is simmering, scrub clams. Open clams over a bowl to reserve their fresh juice. SEE DISCUSSION BELOW ABOUT SHUCKING CLAMS *.
Sauce will be ready to finish in about 2 hours.
When near ready for dinner, place pasta in briskly boiling salted water. Remove basil from sauce.
Defrost sealed mussels in microwave for a few minutes. Slit bag and add mussels to sauce.
Add clams in shells. Strain clam juice also add. Toss in shrimp.
Strain pasta when al dente.
Place pasta into a large serving bowl. Generously fold with seafood. Have additional seafood available for guests.
*Shucking clams: search the internet for safe instructions for shucking clams. Make sure you use a safety glove or folded kitchen cloth on the palm of hand holding the clam. Spring clams open but do not remove shells.
- 4 garlic cloves and 1 cup olive oil
- 16 live cherry stone clams
- 1 medium onion
- 2 pounds of large shrimp, 21 to 30 per pound, preferably with shells
- 6 15-oz cans diced tomatoes.
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 or 4 5-inch stalks fresh basil leaves.
- salt and pepper
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds of linguini or your favorite pasta
Rinse shrimp. Remove shells. Sautee shells in the pot until pink. This helps harvest additional flavor. Remove and discard shells with a slotted spoon again reserving as much of the liquid drippings as possible.
Quick toss shrimp in the pot. Cook almost through, still slightly translucent in their middles. They will finish cooking again before serving. Refrigerate when cooled.
Simmer entire contents of 4 cans of the cubed tomatoes. When most of the liquid is evaporated add the next two cans of tomato, remaining flavored olive oil, roasted garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, clam juice, and basil. Simmer for about 2 hours until liquid is reduced and sauce slightly thickened.
Cook pasta in rapidly boing water. When almost cooked through, al dente, remove basil from sauce. When ready to strain pasts, reheat sauce then stir in shrimp to just finish cooking through.
Reserve a cup of pasta water. Strain pasta. To keep from sticking, add some pasta sauce to the bottom of the pot. Stir in pasta.
Empty into a serving platter, top with shrimp sauce and serve. Offer guests additional sauce if decided.