marinara shrimp & scallop linguine

ok, i’m a sucker for scallops. even the itty-bitty ones.

yes, these baby scallops are a distant second to the giant eastcoast scallops from the bay of fundy (if you’re ever in the canadian maritimes, be sure to try the fundy scallops!). but i still consider any dish with scallops to be a real treat. and although i’m not a huge fan of tomato-based sauces, this homemade marinara sauce added that extra zing to this seafood pasta. check it out…

the seafood:
- thaw 500g raw baby shrimp & baby scallops (peeled, deveined, tail removed)
- rinse well w/ cold water in colander

the veggies:
- 3 organic hot peppers (stems & seeds removed, sliced)
- 2 medium shallots (peeled, rough chop)
- 1/8 cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped)

sauté & simmer:
- heat up 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (evoo) in large wok on high heat
- add shallots to wok. once shallots are slightly browned/toasted (not burnt!), add shrimp & scallops.
- add dash of sea salt
- sauté shrimp & scallops for a few min until partially cooked, then add hot peppers
- add fresh cilantro
- season w/ ground black peppercorns

the marinara:
- add 1/2 large can crushed tomatoes to wok
- add 1 clove garlic (peeled, finely chopped)
- add 1/4 cup plain, low-fat balkan yogurt
- add 1/8 cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
- simmer & stir occasionally for a few minutes until the shrimp is no longer translucent. shrimp should be a nice vibrant white & pink in colour. do not overcook scallops.

seafood vermicelli & broccolini

broccolini? say wha?! perhaps it’s the italian nickname for baby broccoli? :) broccolini is another lovely new veggie that i discovered at the local farmers’ market last weekend. (thanks to my friend jess for introducing me to this fab new ingredient!)

a vibrant spring green, the organic broccolini was the perfect match for the neutral hues of the seafood vermicelli. it’s almost as if they were mfeo. that’s fromage for made.for.each.other. ok, ok, i’ll stop with the cutesy banter already. ;)

check out this asian-inspired recipe featuring vermicelli — the same thin, rice noodles popular in vietnamese soups, noodle bowls and summer rolls.

the broccolini:
- chop off a portion of the bottom stems on a diagonal
- heat up 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil (evoo) in large saucepan on medium heat
- add 1 medium shallot (rough chop) to pan
- add broccolini to pan w/ a 2-3 tbps of water
- add a dash of sea salt
- blanche broccolini for 2-3 min until vibrant green and semi-tender
- remove broccolini from pan & set aside

seafood naan flatbread

pizza + seafood = two of my fave foods :) like most people, i’m too lazy to make my own pizza dough from scratch. i usually like to use whole-wheat greek pita as a pizza dough substitute, but this time i thought i’d switch it up with organic spinach naan. makes for an easy weeknight dinner w/ some fantastic flavours.

the toppings:
- brown 1 large shallot (rough chop) w/ extra-virgin olive oil (evoo) in wok on high heat
- add 1/2 tsp fennel seed to wok
- drain 2 cups seafood medley in colander w/ cold water to thaw

(tip: this seafood medley was frozen from the fresh fish vendor at the local farmers’ market. it included a mix of scallops, prawns, squid rings & baby clams.)

- add seafood medley to wok. season w/ lemon & herbs.
- add 1/4 cup organic baby red peppers (remove seeds, sliced)
- stirfry & toss peppers & seafood in wok for 4-5min or until seafood is cooked. set aside.
- 1/4 cup wensleydale cheddar cheese (cut into long, thin strands)
- 2 tbsp fresh organic cilantro (rough chop)