Tomato-Basil Sauce with Orzo & Scallops or Shrimp

¼ cup olive oil, divided              

1 thinly sliced large sweet onion

2 T. minced garlic (6-8 cloves)

2 pt. cherry tomatoes

1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided

¼ tsp. black pepper, divided

1 lb. dry-packed jumbo scallops or fresh shrimp

2 cups uncooked orzo pasta

1/3 cup salted butter

3 T. chopped fresh parsley

Directions:  Heat 2 T. oil in a skillet over medium high.  Add onion; sauté until softened and beginning to brown – 3-4 minutes.  Add garlic; cook while stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, 3 T. of basil, 1tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst and release their juices, 6-7 minutes.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, 2 minutes.  Transfer to bowl, cover and keep warm.

Wipe clean skillet.  Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season with remaining salt and pepper.  Heat remaining 2 T. oil over high heat.  Add scallops and cook until golden brown, about 90 seconds per side.   Finish with a dab of butter.  If preferred, cook fresh shrimp. 

Cook orzo according to package directions.  Drain.  Stir in butter and parsley.

Plate orzo with sauce and seafood.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining fresh basil to serve.

Comment:  Excellent sauce and the orzo pasta provides great creamy pasta touch.  Serve with any seafood of choice.  If no cherry tomatoes, substitute canned diced tomatoes.  We love sauce, so consider doubling the sauce recipe.

Shrimp & Scallop Spiedino Di Mare

½ lb. large shrimp      ½ lb. sea scallops

1/8 tsp. kosher salt      1/8 tsp. white pepper

Splash Olive Oil

1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

4 T. melted butter      ½ cup lemon juice

Chopped fresh parsley

Directions:  Rinse the shrimp and scallops and lightly pat with paper towel, leaving 

them damp.  Roll in bread crumbs mixed with salt and pepper.  Place coated shrimp 

and scallops on metal (or water soaked wooden) skewers.  Keep shrimp and scallops 

separate as the cooking times are different.

Place the skewers on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Prepare to grill or 

broil.  Start with scallops.  Depending upon size, they take about 3 minutes per side.  

When the scallops are flipped, add the shrimp.  Shrimp take a little over 1 minute per 

side.

Combine melted butter, lemon juice, and parsley.  Drizzle lemon-butter sauce over 

the seafood.

Comment:  A Carraba’s favorite.  Good with steak or on its own with rice as a main 

dish.

Speedy Salmon Fillet

3 T. lemon juice      1 T. olive oil

1 T. soy sauce      ¼ tsp. ground ginger

1 clove minced garlic      1 tsp. Worcestershire

¼ tsp. pepper      Salmon fillets

Directions: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Marinade

the salmon fillets for 20 minutes. Brush both sides of the salmon with some sauce.

Grill fillets on aluminum foil. Baste with remaining sauce as the salmon cooks.

Comment: A favorite salmon recipe.

Shrimp Scampi

1 ½ lb. large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ tsp. salt      3 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced      2 green onions, chopped

¾ cup Vermouth     3 T. lemon juice

2 T. butter      ¼ tsp. pepper

2 T. fresh parsley, chopped

4 cups cooked angel hair pasta, lightly buttered

Directions: Prepare pasta per directions. After draining, toss lightly with butter to

prevent pasta from sticking together.

Sprinkle shrimp with ¼ tsp. salt. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.

Add shrimp, and cook until pink and firm (a few minutes). Using a slotted spoon,

remove shrimp from pan. Add garlic and onions to pan. Cook 3 minutes or until

golden brown. Add vermouth, and simmer 1-2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, butter,

and remaining salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine shrimp, parsley, pasta, and

vermouth mixture. Serve.

Comment: Very good and fast to prepare. Fresh uncooked shrimp make a

difference. Heating pre-cooked shrimp in this dish lessons flavor of sauce, and

shrimp can be tough. Feel free to add grape tomatoes, pieces of asparagus, peas or

other veggies to taste.

Puff-Pastry Wrapped Salmon

2 T. olive oil      2 shallots

9 oz. mushrooms      5 oz. baby spinach leaves

Kosher salt Pepper

Flour to roll out pastry      1 large egg

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 lb. salmon fillet, skinless

Dill Sauce

2/3 cup clam juice      ¾ cup Mexican crema

½ cup heavy cream      2 tsp. flour

3 T. minced fresh dill      Kosher Salt & Pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray

with cooking spray. Heat oil in sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots

and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid

evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach; it will wilt quickly. Season the

mixture with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Dust a flat working surface with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out puff pastry sheets

in to ¼” thickness (approximately 12” x 12”). Place the pastry sheets side-by- side,

overlapping a strip. Brush with beaten egg to stick both sheets together at the strip

and seal with a fork. Transfer pastry to prepared baking sheet.

Spoon the cooled mushroom-spinach mixture over one side of the pastry rectangle.

Place the salmon fillet over the mixture. Season the salmon heavily with salt and

pepper. Fold the other side of the rectangle over the filling and seal by brushing the

edge with egg wash and crimping as you would a pie crust. Fold the remaining two

edges of pastry under the salmon. Brush everything with egg wash. Bake 25

minutes or until golden in color. Let stand for about 8 minutes.

Dill Sauce: Put the clam juice in a heavy saucepot and bring to a boil. Lower to a

simmer. Add Mexican crema and heavy cream and reduce to 1 cup. Add the flour

and whisk while boiling until thickened. Add the dill; season with salt and pepper.

Slice the salmon into 1 ½” slices. Serve with the dill sauce.

Comment: Very good. Looks fancy. Dill sauce is good!