Practice Makes Perfect - Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo

You may have heard, I'm a touch bit neurotic. This will come as no surprise to the poor folks (friends, family, workmates, and strangers) who've endured my constant yammering about the fact that, for the third year running, I'm hosting our family's annual Christmas Eve meal - a traditional Italian multi-course  Feast of the Seven Fishes. 

Rock Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo over Fettucine, Photo: NK

I yammer when I'm nervous. 

Even the most practiced cooks can come down with a case of stage fright around the holidays. I am no different. I like everything to come out perfectly seasoned and satisfying, and I often end up driving myself a bit bonkers in the process. But that's the good thing about this blog - I drive myself nuts so you don't have to! Our recipes are all tried and true, and where possible, I've added tips and tricks to increase the ease of each dish as well as minimize any potential for error.

Still, the number one way I keep my culinary cool is to try and practice new dishes in advance. There's nothing like the peace of mind that comes from having made a dish before. It's also true that the more you make it, the easier it gets until one day, it's become second nature. That's just what we're doing today as we try our hand at Rock Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo over Fettucine. It's a lot like last year's Christmas Eve dish of Shrimp Arrabiata. I just happen to find pasta and spicy tomato sauce to be the perfect vehicle for seafood.

Now, a few words for Lidia Bastianich on her recipe that we've adapted today:

The amount of peperoncino you use to obtain the “Fra Diavolo,” or “Brother Devil”, is to your liking. Fra Diavolo sauce, originally used with lobster chunks still in the shell, is a creation of Italian immigrants in New York City at the turn of the twentieth century.

The Results:
Shrimp and Lobster Fra Diavolo is, as I predicted, pretty easy to make. After gobbling it all up ourselves last night, the husband and I feel pretty confident that it will be well received on Christmas Eve. I've included my "make-ahead" strategy below so you too can make this dish company-ready, although I think it could certainly be prepared fully and fridged for 5 or 6 hours in advance (just reheat low and slow so the fish doesn't get tough). Start to finish, it only takes about 35 minutes, so it's a great addition to your easy to execute repertoire. Stay tuned for the full play-by-play of our Feast of the Seven Fishes meal next week. Enjoy!

Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diavolo
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich
Serves 8 as an Appetizer or 6 as a Main Course

Ingredients: 

San Marzano Tomatoes, Photo: NK

1.5 Lbs Long Pasta of your choice - we used Fettucine
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 large cloves of Garlic, peeled and crushed 
5 sprigs of Fresh Thyme
1 teaspoon Sea Salt, divided

1.5 Lbs Rock Shrimp OR 1 Lb Rock Shrimp & 1 8-Oz Lobster Tail, cut in bite-sized chunks

1.5 cups diced Celery (inner stalks)
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper or to taste
1 - 28 Oz Can Whole Peeled canned San Marzano Tomatoes 
1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Capers, drained
1/4 Cup Italian Parsley, chopped 

Searing the Shrimp, Photo: NK

Method:
1. In a very large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and garlic cloves. As the garlic begins to sizzle, add the sprigs of thyme 

2. Now add shrimp (and the lobster if using). Season the seafood with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and toss it around the pan for about 2 minutes until shrimp and lobster are opaque and somewhat firm. Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp and lobster to a plate and set aside.

3. Add the celery to the skillet. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed red pepper and allow to toast about 1 minute. Pour in all the contents from the canned tomatoes plus about 3/4 cup water. Using a potato masher, crush the whole tomatoes a bit right in the pan. Season with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt. 

 
4. Now is the time to start some salted pasta water to boil. Once boiling, prepare pasta according to package instructions. 

Preparing the Sauce, Photo: NK

5. Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow to cook until the celery becomes tender and the sauce thickens - about 15 minutes or a bit more should do it. 
Now, stir in the capers and return the sauce to a boil. Add the shrimp (and lobster, if using) back into the skillet. Warm through, stirring, for another 2 minutes or more until fully cooked. Stir in the parsley. 

6. Plate each portion of pasta and top with a scoop of the sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Make Ahead Strategy:
To serve this meal for guests, I recommend preparing the recipe as above, all the way through, but skipping step two (where you cook the fish). About 20 minutes before you'd like to serve the meal, set a pot of water to boil for the pasta and put a low flame under your already prepared sauce. About 5 minutes before your pasta is finished cooking, cook the seafood in a separate saute pan with hot oil, tossing until cooked through. Add the fish to the pasta sauce, plate, serve, enjoy!

Flavors of Fall - Butternut Squash & Apple Soup and Fig Pasta

Fall Time! The season of leaf-peeping and fuzzy sweaters. The time of year when a girl's thoughts turn towards pumpkin spice lattes, hot apple cider, and pumpkin beer (we ladies sure do love us some pumpkin beer).

Beautiful Pumpkins, Photo by Kate DuBois

From Oktoberfest to football, there's something for everyone.
Another thing I love about Fall? Amazing produce. Whether Pumpkins, Brussels Sprouts, Squash or Apples, Autumn's bounty can equal major cooking inspiration. In this week's spotlight we have Figs, Apples, and Butternut Squash - all fantastic right now, and very versatile. Tune in next week for an exciting twist on my long time love, Brussels Sprouts. 

Here, we road tested a (new to us) Squash and Apple Soup Recipe, and prepare beautifully ripe Figs in an unexpected way. Enjoy!

First - The soup. I'm a big fan of Squash and Apple Soup. I love it as an easy, make-ahead addition to a fall feast, (check out a Foolproof Fall Dinner Party Menu here) or as a hearty side dish for an everyday weeknight meal. We tested out Martha Stewart's recipe (she is my main squeeze, after all), whereas I usually rely on Ina Garten's delicious version of this classic. The verdict - Martha's was great as well. Different. A bit spicier and lighter. Ina's version is a touch sweeter, a wee bit richer, and seemed more apple focused. You can't really go wrong with either. This soup freezes easily and keeps for up to a month. In the fridge, it will keep for 3 days.

Golden Delicious Apples and Butternut Squash, Photo: NK

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup
Lightly Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 6 

Ingredients: 
1 Tablespoon Salted Butter
1 medium Vidalia or Spanish Onion, diced 
1 Butternut Squash (about 2 Lbs) peeled, cored, and chopped. 
4 Red or Golden Apples (we used Golden Delicious), peeled, cored and chopped
2 Tablespoons Course Salt
1.5 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Stock
2.5 Cups Water, plus more if needed
1 Jalapeno Chile sliced thinly - Optional - for garnish
Optional Garnishes:
1 Granny Smith Apple sliced into thin crescents
Fromage Blanc (sour cream works as well)
Several Pinches of Cilantro 
Method:
Melt Butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add Onion and cook, stirring occasionally until it begins to soften, 4 minutes or so. Next, add Squash and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add Apples, Salt, Cumin, Coriander, Ginger, Cayenne, Black Pepper, Chicken or Veggie Stock, and the water, until the solid ingredients are fully covered (add a bit more if you need). Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vegetables are very soft, 30 to 35 minutes.

Puree the mixture in batches in a food processor, or better yet, blend it using an immersion blender right in your pot until you reach your desired consistency. You may thin it further with a bit more water if you like.

To serve, portion soup into shallow bowls, lay the Green Apple Crescents in the middle of the bowl, dot the middle with Fromage Blanc, and sprinkle Jalapeno Slices around the middle. 

Enjoy! 

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup Garnished with Fromage Blanc, Jalapeno, Green Apple, Cilantro
Photo: NK

Next Up - A really delicious and easy fig pasta that I adapted considerably from a recipe I found in Southern Living. Their version of the pasta included more of cream sauce, which we aren't  big fans of around here. My version has just a touch of creaminess. In this dish, the taste of the sweet Figs (use only the ripest), salty, smokey Pancetta and bright Basil really do stand on their own. Use lots of black pepper to wake up all the flavors in this delightful, fast, and attractive plate. 

Whole Wheat Fetttucine with Pancetta and Figs
Adapted from Southern Living

Beautifully Ripe Black Mission Figs, Photo: NK

Serves 2 

Ingredients: 
1/2 Lb Whole Wheat Fettucine
3 Oz Thick Cut Pancetta, diced
1 Shallot, minced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmigiana Cheese plus more for serving

6 fresh Figs, cut in quarters
(We used Mission Figs -the purple skinned ones)*

1/4 Cup Basil, torn into pieces
2 Tbsp Cream or Half and Half
Salt and Fresh Black Pepper

*How do you know when a fig is ripe? - Click Here  and Here

 
Method:
Cook Pasta in Salted boiling water according to package instructions, making sure to reserve a cup of cooking water when you drain. Set pasta aside.

Next, saute Pancetta, Garlic and Shallot in a large skillet over medium heat stirring very often until the Pancetta is golden and the Shallots have become tender. To the skillet, add the Grated Parmigiana Cheese, Half and Half or Cream, and 4 Tablespoons Pasta Water. Stir vigorously until the liquids are incorporated and the Cheese is melted. 

To the skillet, immediately add the Cooked Fettucine and toss everything gently. Turn the burner up a bit and add more reserved Pasta Water, Tablespoon by Tablespoon, until sauce thickens a little bit and your desired consistency is reached - you can use up to about a half cup if needed. Taste for seasoning and add a bit of Salt if necessary (the salty Pancetta will have most likely given it enough flavor) and lots of ground Black Pepper. 

To Serve - Plate the Pasta, top with torn Basil, and place equal amounts of quartered Figs on each bowl. Serve with extra Black Pepper and grated Parmigiana on the side.  

Whole Wheat Fettucine with Figs and Pancetta, The Tastes of Fall. Photo: NK

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