This deluxe marinara recipe features the best in premium seafood. It is an excellent example of how it’s easy to elevate any dish to an extravagant and flavoursome entertainer with the finest ingredients.
Serves 6
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves (large), peeled and finely diced
1 fennel bulb (small), diced (reserve green fronds for garnish)
1 cup Pinot Grigio Wine
1 pinch saffron threads
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup fine quality seafood stock
6 large tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
2 tbsp Long Lane (Mansfield) small salted capers
½ cup continental (flat-leaf) parsley, chopped roughly
¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves, chopped roughly
Zest of 1 Lemon
Salt and pepper
500g fresh-made tagliatelle or linguine, cooked in salted water until al dente
1 wedge parmigiano-reggiano, grated
500g fresh seafood mix, to include:
Wild-caught barramundi (diced to 2cm squares)
Fresh tiger or king prawns
Baby calamari tubes flesh cleaned and diced into rings
Saucer scallop meat 12-15 discs
Moreton Bay bug meat (6 pieces)
12 green-lipped mussels cleaned and debearded
Method
1. In a large heavy-based saucepan, bring extra virgin olive oil to medium heat and sauté onion, garlic and fennel until soft and transparent in colour.
2. Lay fish pieces, bug and scallop meat, prawns and calamari into the saucepan and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes. Turning is not required. Remove seafood pieces from the saucepan and set them aside.
3. With saucepan still on medium heat, add mussels, then deglaze with white wine to open.
4. When shells begin to open, remove mussels from the pan and set them aside with other cooked seafood pieces. Be sure to retain the pan juices and vegetable ingredients.
5. Add saffron threads to the pan juices and stir in tomato paste with a wooden spoon.
6. Add seafood stock, diced tomatoes and capers to the pan, bring to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer to reduce liquid by two thirds.
7. Return cooked seafood to the pan and continue to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to warm the seafood and complete the marinara sauce.
8. Add al dente linguine to the pan, then toss through fresh herbs and lemon zest.
To serve
Season to taste and serve in a large bowl topped with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and garnish with fresh fennel fronds.
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