Thursday, August 7, 2014

Blackened Seafood & Chorizo Pasta

It’s been a really, really, long time since I made pasta-I had to double check when was the last time I made it (10 months ago!).  The weather’s been warm so I’ve been avoiding cooking for quite some time-hence why I haven’t posted anything lately.  Summers close to being over and I’m already dreading it….there’s just so much more I want to do! 

Focusing the dish-admittedly, this dish is a tad expensive to make, especially if you want to buy good product.  The meat and seafood (with the exception of the mussels that are from Nova Scotia) are from BC.  Luckily, I had some of the ingredients in my freezer already so it wasn’t a huge blow to my wallet!  I found that the blackening seasoning is really easy to make and gives the sauce a slightly spicy yet creamy taste.  I loved that every bite was so unique and packed with so much flavor. 

This dish makes a whole lot of pasta.  Be sure to loosen your belt buckle and don’t feel guilty!

Blackened Seafood & Chorizo Pasta

Makes 8-10 servings

INGREDIENTS

blackening seasoning:

1 1/2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

pasta:

2 pounds fettuccine

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1-2 tablespoons virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound chorizo sausage, cut into ½ inch pieces

¾ pound sea scallops, cut in ½

¾ pound prawns, shelled and deveined

1 pound mussels (frozen)

1 large bell pepper, diced

2 large tomatoes, diced

2 cups Swiss chard (optional)

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup green onions

¼ cup basil

DIRECTIONS

Cook fettuccine in a large pot of water according to package directions. Drain & set aside.

Mix together the blackening seasoning ingredients. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp & scallops with the blackening seasoning. Set aside.

In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo pieces and cook until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the chorizo from the pan, and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the sea scallops, shrimp and mussels and cook until the shrimp starts to turn opaque.

Add the bell pepper, tomatoes, Swiss chard and cooked chorizo sausage to the wok. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, then stir in cream and remaining butter. Add in the cooked fettuccine and toss to coat.

Garnish with green onions and basil.

Source: adapted from FoodieCrush, blackening season adapted from All Recipes