Italian Pasta Classics - Spaghetti with Shrimp, Lemon, Mint & Pecorino

Mint, lemon and chili together are a very classic Italian flavor combination. They also happen to work deliciously together with seafood. This incredibly easy and company-worthy Pasta dish is an excellent choice if you are looking for an entree that is zesty, light and comforting all at once. At well under 30 minutes to prepare (if you get the Shrimp cleaned in advance) it's also doable on a weeknight. I know Spaghetti with Shrimp, Lemon, Mint and Pecorino is definitely going to be a regular on our summer menu rotation. Try it today and buon appetito! 

Photo: NK

Spaghetti with Shrimp, Lemon, Mint & Pecorino
Serves 3 as an entree (or 4 lightly)
Lightly Adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients:
1/4 lightly toasted Pine Nuts
1/2 Pound Spaghetti 
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
2 Garlic Cloves, halved
1/2 Pound Large Wild Shrimp, shelled, cleaned and cut in thirds (buy them cleaned to save time!) 
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Zest of one Lemon
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Chopped Mint, plus small leaves set aside for garnish
1 Cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 teaspoon jarred Calabrian Chili (we like Tutto Calabria) or substitute Crushed Red Pepper


Method: 
Prepare Pasta as directed in well-salted water. Reserve 1/2 Cup Pasta water, drain and set the Pasta aside. 

Meanwhile in a large skillet, warm 2 Tablespoons of the Olive Oil over medium low heat and add the Garlic Cloves. Cook, stirring until slightly golden, for about 5 minutes. Discard the Garlic. 

Sprinkle Shrimp with a little Salt and Pepper. Add them to the skillet and cook about 2 minutes until almost totally opaque. 

Add the Pasta, Water, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, 2/3 of the Pecorino Cheese, and the 2 remaining Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Cook, tossing constantly until the sauce thickens nicely, about 2 minutes. Season with a bit more salt and stir in the Calabrian Chili.

Plate and garnish with remaining Pecorino, toasted Pine Nuts and Mint Leaves. Enjoy! 

Yuletide Roundup - Christmas 2014

Baccala Salad with Sweet & Hot Cherry Peppers, Photo:NK

Buon Natale! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! It's time for our yuletide wrap up - just a quick recap of some of the dishes we enjoyed this season.  

For Christmas Eve we went with the traditional Feast of The Seven Fishes. My mom hosted and she did a great job. To check our Italian Christmas Eve Menus for the past three years, click HERE, HERE and HERE. 

This year, we were treated to smashing seafood salads to kick off the multi-course dinner. I contributed the Baccala Salad pictured to the right. You can find the recipe by clicking HERE. 

Next came a fantastic Calamari Salad…

Calamari Salad, Photo: NK

Looks good, right?

But no seafood dinner would be complete in our family without Linguine with Clam Sauce, easily my favorite dish of all time (recipe HERE), which we often like to follow with a main course of Rao's Lemon Sole, just as in previous years. 

Classic Linguine with Clam Sauce, Photo: NK

This is his put down your camera face

My mom made super adorably presented goody boxes filled with Christmas Cookies. 


For dessert, we kept it simple with delicious Italian Pastries from an excellent bakery called Natale's. 





We need to leave space for Christmas Dinner, you know?  

Sfogliatelle, Cannoli, and Napoleon, Photo: NK 

Speaking of Christmas, my mom in law made it tasty as ever. We were treated to, among other things, a lovely Filet of Beef and a really great Salad with Red Pears and Pumpkin Seeds - I am surely going to try and recreate it some day. 

Filet of Beef & a Pear & Pumpkinseed Salad, Photo: NK 

And there you have it, as fast as it came to us, Christmas was complete. I hope you too enjoyed a holiday season filled with only good things and good food. Here's to lots more cooking in the new year!

Leftover Makeover - Strozzapreti With Fast Sausage Ragu

I don't know about your house but around here, two frozen Italian Sausage links do not a dinner make. When I'm faced with odd amounts of ingredients leftover from other recipes (1 chicken leg, anyone?), I try and challenge myself not to let them go to waste.  I've found using them as a springboard for new meal ideas is a great strategy. That's why when pasta night rolled around (we need our fix about once a week), I took to the web to find a Sausage Ragu recipe worth trying. Not surprisingly, I landed on a familiar place for inspiration, Lidia Bastianich's  website. 

Our fast-cooking Sausage Ragu over Strozzapreti Pasta, Photo: NK 

Our light adaptation of Lidia's Rigatoni with Sausage Tomato Sauce would provide us a great opportunity to use some of the pantry and freezer items we had on hand (it's never a bad idea to have cans of whole tomatoes at the ready for sauce making). As with many ragu recipes, Lidia's is rather long-cooking. As such, we've tweaked the preparation considerably to make this more along the lines of a 45 minute cook time (down from an hour and a half). What does this mean for you? Well, for one, you can make this on a weeknight when you've got a little time to spare. Do certainly try the longer technique when you have time, but we managed to achieve fairly well-developed flavor and richness with minimal effort, and that's just how we like to roll on work days. Purchasing fresh herbs like Basil (we also added minced fresh Parsley to mix) and using good quality canned Tomatoes and Italian Sausage is the key to achieving a very flavorful sauce fast. And, if you don't happen to have a bottle of wine open, you now have an excuse! Weekday be damned! 

Now for pasta talk; we used a fun but hard to find pasta shape called Strozzapreti. It looks like a longer version of Cavatelli and interestingly, the name means Priest Stranglers… eek! Of course, any short, spiral pasta would be a worth vehicle for this satisfying sauce. Buon Appetito and enjoy! 

Strozzapreti With Fast Sausage Ragu
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich
Serves 4-5 as an entree
Ingredients:
3/4 Pound Strozzapreti or other short or spiral pasta
1/2 Pound Sweet Italian Sausage - about 2 links
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil + more for drizzling
1/2 Cup White or Red Wine, whatever's on hand, divided
1 large Garlic Clove, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper or to taste
1 Cup Yellow Onion or other Sweet White Onion, diced
7 Basil Leaves, cut into ribbons then minced + sprigs for garnish
3 Cups (24 ounces) Canned Whole San Marzano or Plum Tomatos, crushed by hand or gently with a potato masher
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Italian Parsley, minced
1/2 Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, freshly grated


Method:
1. Remove the Sausage casings and discard. Crumble the Sausage meat into a medium bowl. Now pour half of the wine over (1/4 cup) and stir to be sure the meat is evenly moistened. 

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, drizzle the Olive Oil. Add the Onions and cook until they start to soften, roughly 5 minutes. Now add the Garlic and Crushed Red Pepper Flake, stirring well. When everything is sizzling, pour in the Sausage Meat, breaking up any chunks. Stir well. 

Photo: NK

3. To the skillet, add the remaining 1/4 cup of Wine and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, as the wine cooks down and the Sausage begins to brown, approximately 10 minutes. 

4. At this point, you'll want to start preparing your pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain it and set it aside. You can also make it in advance of the sauce if easier, just save some pasta water or a bit of oil to help unstick it if necessary.

5. Once Sausage has browned, pour in the tomatoes and all their juices and stir well with the other ingredients in the skillet. Add the Salt and Basil ribbons and turn up the flame to bring the sauce to a bubble. Allow it to warm about 5 minutes, stirring, until fully heated through. (Note: here is where if you have more time, you can certainly simmer this sauce longer. You'd simply need to add a half cup of water, stir, and then partially cover the pot to vent. Lower the flame to keep the sauce at a gentle bubble and cook about an hour.)

Photo: NK

6. Turn off the flame and scatter the Parsley throughout the sauce. Add the drained Pasta to the skillet and toss to incorporate until sauce is well distributed. Finally, add about half of the grated cheese to the skillet and toss until incorporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.


7. To serve, plate the pasta and sauce and drizzle each serving with a little Olive Oil. Next, optionally garnish each bowl with a few Basil Leaves. Pass the remaining grated cheese around the table. 


Enjoy! 

Italian Feast On The Grill - Bistecca alla Fiorentina & More

Really special Porterhouse, Photo: NK

The porterhouse really is the king of steak, so when you get a good one, you better treat it right. 

Today, we're using this exceptional cut of meat as the centerpiece to an Italian-inspired Feast that can be made mostly on your good old outdoor grill. The best part? This menu is easy yet super impressive (you know how we love that…). 

Simply adjust the servings to your needs and you'll come out with a really fantastic and completely achievable prep-ahead meal that will wow. Two of three of today's recipes come from a wonderful cookbook that we use often, Mario Batali's Italian Grill. (Check out another great recipe from this book HERE).

Here's the Menu:

Corn As Italians Would Eat It (by Mario Batali) 

Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine Style Steak, by Mario Batali)

Summer Plum Panzanella (our own creation) 

Summer Plum Panzanella, Photo: NK

Summer Plum Panzanella
Serves 4  

Ingredients: 
5 one-inch thick slices of Italian Bread cut into cubes
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper 
Teaspoon finely chopped fresh Rosemary leaves (optional)
Two ripe Plums, pitted and sliced in 1/3 inch wedges
1/3 Vidalia Onion, roughly chopped
1/2 head Butter Lettuce, chopped 
15 Small Yellow Tomatoes (grape or cherry sized) such as Sunburst or Zima, cut in half 

Dressing: 
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Olive Oil 
Two shakes of Salt
Two shakes of Pepper 

Method:

1. Toss Bread Cubes with a Tablespoon Olive Oil. In a toaster oven or oven, toast the Bread until crisp and lightly golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, and optional Rosemary. Set aside.
2. To make the salad, combine Butter Lettuce with the Onions, sliced Plums, and Tomatoes. Toss gently. 
3. To serve, add the toasted Bread Crumbs right before serving. Dress the salad a teaspoon at a time, tossing gently, so as to avoid sogginess. You may not need all the dressing. Serve right away!  

Thyme, Sage, and Rosemary, Photo: NK 

Next up, let's see about our steak!



It's important to note that Florentine-style steak is usually made using a T-Bone. Because there are only minor differences between the T-bone and Porterhouse (a variation in the length of the tenderloin half of the cut) we'll still call our creation authentic. There's no question that this juicy cut of meat enhanced by fresh herbs and then charcoal grilled was nothing short of delicious. 



Bistecca alla Fiorentina - Recipe HERE

Classic Florentine Steak, Photo: NK 

and finally,

Corn as Italians Would Eat It - Recipe HERE

Corn As Italians Would Eat It, Photo: NK

BUON APPETITO! 

In Season: Fava Beans - Gemelli With Fava & Frisee

Meatless Monday is here again and we are using it as an excuse to check out a seasonal specialty, the delicious Fava Bean. Also known as Broad Beans, Favas are a favorite in many corners of the world, but they are notably well loved by my ancestral people, the Italians. Since we often enjoy Meatless Monday with the help of vegetarian pasta preparations, it only seemed right that these herby, firm, green beans be served atop our favorite starch. We were very happy with the result - a garlicky, spicy and lemony mix of flavors that play off the more delicate Fava flavor. Gemelli Is a fun pasta shape with great texture, but any short, curly pasta will do. 

Gemelli With Fava Beans, Frisee, Chili & Lemon, Photo: NK

Some folks describe prepping Favas as a labor of love. They aren't entirely wrong either. Favas are easy to handle but they definitely they take a little time and doing. Never seen a Fava before? Well they look like this when you buy them: 

Fava Beans, before preparation, Photo: NK 

To prepare, pop the Fava Beans out of their pods (as pictured below) and blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain Beans immediately

Shelled Favas with waxy skin still on, Photo: NK

under cold water. Taking each individual bean in your hand, carefully slit the waxy outer skin and pop the inside of it out, trying to keep the interior bright green bean whole. Discard the waxy layer. 

Alternately you can actually eat the waxy outer skin, as it doesn't taste badly at all, but when I have the time, I prefer to unsheath the bright green inside, time consuming though it may be! 

It's also worth it to note that this dish tastes fantastic at room temperature and would make a great, innovative pasta salad for your next summer get-together if you so choose. 

Let's get down to the business of building today's satisfying meatless meal. 


Gemelli With Fava Beans & Frisee
Serves 4 

Ingredients: 
1 Pound Fava Bean Pods, shelled and waxy skin optionally removed (read above)
1 Pound Gemelli or other short, textured pasta
1 medium-sized, moderately spicy Red Chili, (or hot pepper or your choice) minced. (*I like to leave the seeds in but you can omit if you are spice averse)
2 large Cloves of minced Garlic

Frisee, Photo: NK 

Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 small head of Frisee Lettuce, chopped
15 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped 
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
1 Tablespoon Salted Butter
Salt 
Black Pepper
Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

Method: 

1. Prep and chop all ingredients above. 

2. Meanwhile, set a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Once it is in the boiling water, begin step 3. 

3. In a large skillet over medium low flame, melt one Tablespoon of Butter with 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil. Add the Garlic and sauté 1 minute until fragrant. Add the Chili and sauté another minute. Add the chopped Frisee to the skillet and stir as it wilts a bit, just 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat. 

4. Season the Frisee with a few turns of Black Pepper and about 3 generous pinches of Salt. Stir. Add the Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice to the Frisee and stir. 

5. By this time, your pasta should be close to done. When it is finish, drain it through a colander and add the Gemelli to the skillet with the Frisee. Sprinkle with chopped Olives and toss Pasta together gently with the vegetables, add add the remaining Tablespoon of Olive Oil. Taste for seasoning and add about 1/4 teaspoon of Salt if you feel it is needed.

6. To serve, plate pasta and sprinkle with Fava Beans and optional Pecorino Romano Cheese. Enjoy! 

Weekend Round Up - Memorial Day Grilling

Welcome to our Memorial Day weekend round up! I've been looking forward to sharing some of the edible highlights of what was a lovely family gathering. Our barbecue, by my husband's special request (it was his birthday so he was running the show!), was anchored by a main course of Sausage and Peppers (my mom makes this dish and it's absolutely delicious). With the meat spoken for, I decided to take the opportunity to indulge my ever-growing vegetable obsession. I knew exactly where I would look for inspiration - to one of my favorite Italian chefs, in this case, Mario Batali.

Grilled Vegetable Salad, Italian Style, Photo: NK

I am always inspired by the way Italians treat vegetables. They just seem to have a knack for making them shine without overpowering their natural merits in any way. Batali's cookbook, Italian Grill, is a perennial favorite in our house. We cook from it summer after summer, but I had yet to try his recipe for mixed vegetables on the grill enhanced with a bright, citrusy marinade.  

I hope you enjoy this colorfully eye-catching grilled platter of meatless delights. It makes a stunning presentation and an even better impression once you taste it. As Mario reminds us, choose vegetables that are in season, and feel free to mix and match based on what looks best to you! 

Mario Batali's Capri-Style Grilled Vegetable Platter 
Very slightly adapted from cookbook, Mario Batali's Italian Grill 

Serves 6

Prepping our veggie platter, Photo: NK

Ingredients: 
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin 
1 teaspoon dry Mustard
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 small Italian Eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds

Zest of one Orange, reserved. 

Juice of one Orange (optional Orange Rounds can be set aside for garnish)

1 large Yellow Pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into inch long slices 

12 Baby Zucchini, sliced half lengthwise or 4 small zucchini cut in quarters lengthwise

1 large or 2 small Red Onion, cut into wedges

1 small bunch Red Scallions, or regular Scallions (about 6-8), tops and bottoms trimmed

Small bunch very thin Asparagus, about 12-16 spears, tough ends cut off

Kosher Salt

12 large leaves of Basil, cut into think ribbons (chiffonade)

Method:
1. Place a large baking sheet on an outdoor grill and get it nice and hot (or indoors, use a grill pan or preferably a large smooth skillet atop two oven burners). 

2. Mix the marinade/vinaigrette! Combine Red Wine Vinegar, Garlic, Oregano, Cumin, Dry Mustard, Crushed Red Pepper, Olive Oil and the Orange Juice. Combine and set aside.  (Orange Zest will be reserved for garnish)

3. Brush Vegetables on both sides with the Vinaigrette and lay them on the baking sheets. You may need to grill in batches. Sprinkle the vegetables with Salt. Cook, turning once or twice, until just slightly charred. Keep an eye on the smaller veggies especially, as they may char quicker. Remove veggies as they are tender enough and cooked through.

Cook Times:
Eggplant will be 8-10 minutes, 
Yellow Pepper should be 10-12 minutes, 
Zucchini should take 6-8 minutes
Onions and Scallions should be about 4-6 minutes
Asparagus should grill for 5-7 minutes. 
Be sure to remove each vegetable as it is done.

To serve, arrange artfully on a large platter and sprinkle with extra Vinaigrette. Garnish with optional slices of Orange and sprinkle everywhere with Orange Zest. To finish, add your Basil ribbons and serve!! This is great warm or room temperature.

Caprese Salad with Nectarine & Buffalo Mozzarella, Photo: NK

Need a starter nibble?  Why not try my default plate of delectable Buffalo Mozzarella (or even Burrata--swoon!) with in season stone fruit (in this case, Nectarine) plus ribbons of Basil, and a drizzle of Olive Oil and Balsamic Reduction. To finish, just add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and you're good to go!








 
Now don't get me wrong, we do want to leave plenty of room for the meat on our barbie. Check out my mom's Sausage and Pepper masterpiece that we served along with my veggie platter. It was so good!

Sausage & Peppers by my mama, Photo: NK

Finally, a barbecue just ain't a barbeque without a refreshing cocktail to wash everything down. That's why we are declaring Paloma time! Learn a bit more about about the Paloma HERE. Now you may have noticed I am on a bit of a Grapefruit jag, so Palomas made with gorgeous, fresh-squeezed ruby red grapefruit seemed like a great idea. We serve ours Margarita-style with a salt rim. I am even gonna go out on a a limb and call it our official drink of summer 2014.  Here's the how-to below (to make it virgin, replace Tequila with Seltzer water in equal parts). 

Paloma-rita! Photo: NK

Paloma-Rita
Adapted from Drink Of The Week
Makes 1 Drink

Ingredients: 
2 Ounces of Tequila 
1 Ounce Lime Juice 
3 Ice Cubes
4.5 Ounces of fresh squeezed Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
1 teaspoon Simple Syrup (make a batch in advance and store in fridge - learn how HERE) 
Kosher Salt/Coarse Salt
Lime Wedges

Method: 
Rim each glass with a Lime Wedge to moisten.
Pour Kosher Salt into a flat plate and invert the glass over it to create a salt rim. In a shaker, place a few cubes of ice, Tequila, Grapefruit Juice, Lime Juice and Simple Syrup. Give it a good shake and pour it into Margarita Glass. Garnish with Lime Wedge and serve.

There you have it, folks. A successful holiday barbecue for the books. We hope it'll help gain some inspiration for your next summer feast!

A Family Affair - Potluck Easter

They say that many hands make light work. "They" would be right. With the weather steadily warming and the first buds appearing on the trees, the mood seemed right for a more casual and stress-free Easter holiday - a celebration requiring less fuss in the kitchen, and leaving more time for enjoying the outdoors. When you're looking to keep it simple, a potluck holiday is a great solution. I hope you enjoy our Easter 2014 recap. A good time (and a great meal) was had by all!

To start, a light and springy appetizer platter that we enjoyed al fresco:

Crostini with Fresh Ricotta, Sautéed & Fresh Ramps, and Pistachios
Photo: NK

Now for the How To:

Spring Crostini, Photo NK

Spring Crostini Platter
Serves 6 as a light appetizer

1 good quality crusty Baguette:
Slice it into 1/3 inch thick slices, brush with Olive Oil and a sprinkle of Coarse Salt and grill until some char marks appear. 

1 bunch of Ramps: 
Half of them chopped into 1/2 in pieces and sautéed in a little bit of olive oil before being finished with a sprinkle of salt. Slice some of the remainder of the uncooked ramps into 1/4 inch pieces, and set aside several whole ramps for a beautiful, edible garnish.

8 Oz fine quality homemade or store-bought Ricotta Cheese 
(we chose the amazing whole milk Ricotta Salvatore BKLYN via Freshdirect. (It's Martha Stewart's favorite!) Drizzle the Ricotta with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Coarse Salt and some Black Pepper.

Finely Chopped Pistachios 
Fresh Grated Parmigiana Cheese Curls
Fine Quality Fig Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic Reduction
Honey or Truffle Honey 

To Serve: simply put it all together and let your guests assemble their own crostini! It's helpful to show a few example toasts to get them started. Voila!

Let's move on to the big Easter Feast:

All hands on deck for a delicious Easter feast, Photo: NK

Potluck Easter "Credits" & Recipes 

Ina Garten's Roasted Fennel with Parmesan, center front - by yours truly.  Recipe HERE
Minted Peas, middle (cooked with a bit of mint jelly & a dollop of salted butter),by mom.
Mashed Turnips, center left, heated with butter & some cinnamon, from Southland
Cranberry, bottom right - straight from the can, baby. 
Waldorf Salad, top left, delicious, crunchy & refreshing - by my mom-in-law. Recipe HERE
Stuffed Pork Loin with Cheese & Herbs, top right, from La Torre Pork Store of Brooklyn,cooked by mom.
Apple Sauce, top right, from the jar. 
Stuffing with Sausage, Pecans, and Green Apples, middle top, by mom. 
Creamy Horseradish Potato Salad, top left, by my sis-in-law. Recipe HERE

Bunny Cake & Easter Bread, Photo: NK

Potluck Easter may have been comparatively easy, but there was one of us who did do some majorly involved baking and prep work, and boy did it pay off. 

My sister-in-law Marjie's long awaited and UBER adorable "Bunny Butt Cake" made for the the most wonderfully whimsical and tasty dessert. Because sometimes, you're just in the mood for an adorable rabbit tush on your table. How cute is this cake?? Click HERE for the Betty Crocker Recipe. A clever and perfect execution resulted in a cake that went along great with the Italian Easter Bread that my mom-in-law brought us.

Thanks again to everyone for a great meal.



Until next year!

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!