Now I don’t want everyone to get so excited, were not the Ritz, we do serve quite a selection, but we are still just a school, and just a school food service company, and we still have to pay our own way, we have no subsidies. It’s a little scary for me this year, while I am excited to be back at work, I will be bringing all my new friends along, trying out so many of the wonderful recipes you have taught me. I just don’t want to disappoint any of you.
While I do my best to teach my girls to eat better, and to try new foods, I still have to make my budgets and that means getting as many of my girls to eat as possible. So I serve something for everyone, while on my quest to serve better school food. I’ll explain more of our menu and the process on Wednesdays post.So enough of that stuff for now, I’m actually feeling a lot better, see what talking to my friends does for me!
My wife had a hard week, she started teaching in a classroom again after 12 years as a resource teacher, and the last 4 as a reading specialist. Thursday night I left Sangria for her to wind down with, and when I did get home she was making good use of it…….Friday I wanted to make something special for dinner, so while she enjoyed a glass of sangria, I started on dinner.
It’s just a simple pasta dish with her favorite aioli sauce, but it definitely was good eating.
Seafood Linguine for Two
1 8 oz Lobster Tail
8 16-20 count Shrimp
8 Sea Scallops
1/2 lb Linguine
1 small Tomato diced
2 cloves of Garlic sliced
1 Tablespoon fresh Basil chopped
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Extra virgin olive oil
Splash of white wine (optional)
2 tablespoons of butter
flour
water from cooking pasta
1 Eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch cutlets.
seasoned flour
egg wash
seasoned bread crumbs
extra virgin olive oil
Start by preparing your eggplant cutlets, now this is a step you can omit if you like, but I do love eggplant as a base and have served it with seafood in different sauces through out my career. I used Sicilian eggplants because they were so nice and round and perfect for cutlets. I didn’t soak these or do any other pre-prep too them, I just peeled them, sliced them and breaded them. I always start the process of breading the same way for meats or veggies, flour seasoned with salt and pepper, eggwash- a couple eggs lightly beaten with the addition of about a half cup of milk, and just store bought seasoned bread crumbs.
Heat your olive oil in a large frying pan, and saute the breaded eggplant on each side 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Allow the finished eggplants to dry on paper towels, then place them in a 300 degree oven while you start your pasta.
While your pasta water is heating, get all of your prep done for your sauté dish. As soon as your pasta water is ready, place your Linguine in the pot, ( I like De Cecco brand the best) cook according to the directions on the box. This should allow you enough time to cook your seafood.
In a large sauté pan, add the olive oil, and garlic. As soon as the pan is gets hot, add your lobster and scallops they should take the longest to cook, sauté them for about 5 minutes then add your shrimp, tomatoes, basil, and red pepper flakes. Continue to saute for about 4 minutes until shrimp is done. Add your splash of white wine to deglaze the pan, and add some water from your pasta cooking pot to help make the sauce.
At this time you will need to thicken your sauce and the easiest way is how I used to do it in the restaurant. Make a beurre manie. Simply take your butter and press it into the flour, as much as will cling to the butter, do your butter in a few pieces so you are able to add enough flour to thicken your sauce. When adding butter or really good olive oil to a dish you always do it at the end of the process, so you are able to still taste the butter or oil. If you start the dish in the good stuff , the flavors will overwhelm them. So save that drizzle of really good olive oil, or that chunk of butter until you are finishing your sauce and ready to serve.
Your sauté is done, your buerre manie has done its job and thickened your sauce. Do not allow it to get too hot at this point or it will start to separate and you will have to keep mixing it to bring it back together. If it does break, a little more of the pasta water will help pull it back together.
Drain your pasta, place some on your plate next to one of your eggplant cutlets and top both the pasta and eggplant with your seafood.
I do enjoy my seafood pasta dishes with grated Romano cheese, I know this goes against what they do in Italy, but I love cheese with my seafood so I add it.
Feel free to use any combination of seafood you might like or to even make the sauce red, I actually enjoy good lump crab meat instead of the lobster, but I didn’t have any on hand. I hope you enjoy this wonderful dish and thanks for stopping by!
More recipes from my site
Chicken Marsalena with Pepperoni – Inside my Restaurant Kitchen- Homemade Cranberry Sauce – An American Classic
- How to make Homemade Corn Fritters and Black Bean-Corn Salsa
- Chai Marinated Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
- Chicken Scarpariello Recipe “Shoemakers Chicken”
- My Tangerine Beef Recipe- It’s what’s for dinner!
Morellocherry says
looks really tasty, yuuuuuuum! Congratulations on top 9! 🙂
Chicago Cuisine Critique says
This looks delicious and is a beautiful presentation. 🙂
Bimmer says
you got me salivating while seeing this!
Kim says
I love lobster cooked the simplest of ways, you guys can keep the eggplant to yourselves and pass the rest 😉
Kim says
I love lobster cooked the simplest of ways, you guys can keep the eggplant to yourselves and pass the rest 😉
Debbie says
I got caught reading this post at work! My co-worker started asking me if i was going to make this for him! Ha, it really does look delicious though and I love that you added the eggplant to the dish.
Proud Italian Cook says
Did you say simple pasta dish??? I love this!
Damaris says
seriously, can we have a do over? I had this fabulous things of things I wanted to do and acomplished this summer and my list is far from being acheived.
Marjie says
What a wonderful dinner! I'm sure your girls will be happy to see you, but I'm sorry to have seen my Ryan head off to high school…
Rita says
What a great easy recipe! looks fantastic of course.
Emily Malloy says
BEE-AYY-YUTIFUL
whatsfordinneracrossstatelines says
It's only breakfast, and you have me dreaming about dinner! I love how you added the eggplant cutlet! Yes, please can we have a do over! Hope you are well.
-Gina-
Elin says
Chef Dennis…Wow…you call that simple pasta…omg with those scallops and shrimps ! Delicious !!! I will want to try this out for sure..Thanks for the recipe 🙂
grace says
so sad. a single tear is working its way down my cheek. yep, i'll miss summer, but i'm looking forward to apple and pumpkin and cinnamon EVERYTHING! 🙂
Leslie Uhl says
Wow the seafood linguine looks DELICIOUS! Anton would love it, too. Best wishes to both of you on a new school year, I hope it goes well. My kids are thrilled to be back at school, I am glad to say.
Priscilla - She's Cookin' says
Eggplant cutlets – I love it! The shrimp and pasta looks divine. I just did a goodbye to summer post too. With one of your favorites… zucchini blossoms 🙂
Angie's Recipes says
Summer is long gone here…:-(
Your seafood linguine is loaded with flavours and goodness! A sensational treat to say farewell to Summer.
Laury @The FitnessDish says
That seafood linguine has captured my attention!! One of my favorites, you are the best for posting the recipe!! I will have to make this for the hubby one night soon!
Juliana says
Wow, I never had a seafood pasta with eggplant…this is totally new to me 😉 the dish looks amazing…as for Summer…we barely had any here 🙁
Kelsey says
i cant imagine how tiring that would be trying to move everything over so it can be online! but now that its done u can kick ur feet up a bit. its so hard to get back into the rush after a relaxing summer.. our systems cant seem to catch up no matter what we do.
at least with autumn comes new culinary creations with the use of new ingredients and flavors, cant wait til we get a taste of what u whip up!
Velva says
Glad to know that you are feeling better. It's always tougher, when you are feeling under the weather and have deadlines to meet.
I am good with Summer almost being over, it's darn hot here in Florida and I crave cooler temps.
The linguine looks wonderful!
Evan @swEEts says
Well this just looks absolutely delicious! I thought Mountain Man made me some good meals, but this is waaay better 🙂 I can't believe summer is over, but then again in the working world do we really even get a summer!?
JillyAn says
Im glad you are feeling better Dennis. The dish looks wonderful…even if it would kill me (allergic to shellfish). Have a great year at school. I'm kind of excited to check out your menus. I guess Im a little jealous. That would be such a wonderful job to me.
The Rowdy Chowgirl says
The linguini looks divine…hope you feel better soon–maybe you need a medicinal dose of that sangria yourself!
Barbara says
Lovely pasta dish, Dennis, and how sweet is that to leave some sangria waiting for your exhausted wife?
My end of summer is no longer determined by school as the kids are grown. AND Florida really doesn't have an end of summer until November, if then. I do love fall food though, I must admit.
Nirmala says
I feel for your end of the summer. Where I live, Sept is the hottest month. Don't be too envious though. This summer was extremely cool. I love seafood pastas; so quick and easy. Lobster tail — never worked with that. Glad to hear you're feeling better.
Michael and Kenna says
I'm with you – the end of summer is such a drag. But I'm looking forward to the fun foods of fall!
sensiblecooking says
If you have similar recipes for fall and winter I won't be missing summer that much except for the sunshine.
Pure Mama says
Looks great Chef Dennis… I'd have that and a glass of sangria anytime 🙂 Hope you feel better soon!
Cheryl says
You have been busy! Summer went so fast this year, maybe it is because I am getting older 🙂
[email protected] says
Hi Chef Dennis!!
Wow, if that is what you do when you are feeling a tad under the weather when you are at full capacity you must be a force to be reckoned with!! Your wife is a lucky woman (and I am sure she knows it!!) I am really enjoying your blog and can't wait to see the menus you've come up with for "your girls"!!
Just Food Snobs says
Glad you are feeling better! Sometimes we just need to step back and unwind. The shrimp in your recipe look so good and I love the fried eggplant on the side. Will be tuning into your post on Wednesday! Thanks for sharing.
Joanne says
School has left me pretty winded also so I know how you feel! So much to do and so little time. It must be nice to sit back and relax with such a tasty meal as this, though!
Sara says
Funny. I just posted a beer-butter sauce for shrimp today. Great minds…
Added you to my blogroll! Thanks for always being an inspiration.
Savory Sweet Living says
I hate to see the summer is coming to an end. I so wish we could have a do over, but guess we'll have to wait until next year. Your linguine looks delicious. That is probably one of my favorite things to eat linguine with seafood. Once again love your post and most important, glad to hear you're feeling better!
Anna Johnston says
The linguine looks so light & summery which is exciting because for us…., summer is just around the corner. Love the eggplant cutlet addition, interesting.
mummy's kitchen says
this looks wonderful! Looking forward to reading more of your posts
Raina says
Best wishes for a great school year! Looking forward to seeing your recipes. This recipe is wonderful…my husband's all-time favorite..looking forward to trying it.
You are so nice making your wife sangria…she needed it…that is tough going back to teaching a class. I would help out sometimes in my children's classrooms when they were younger and would feel like I wanted to pass out after an hour..lol..great respect for teachers:)
Foodessa says
Dennis…for so many reasons too long to get into here…the Fall season is my very favourite time of year. I am however, already feeling the sadness to let go most of our market's fresh produce. Oh well…it happens to the living ;o)
That seafood pasta dish would be devoured with a huge smile on my face!
Ciao for now,
Claudia
MaryMoh says
Lovely post, Dennis. I enjoy reading it. Always enjoy reading about your adventure in cooking and work and family life. You are such a sweet husband. My hubby is sweet but when you talk about cooking, he would run a thousand miles aways…haha. Well, I have the whole kitchen to myself and no one to disturb me 😀 Love your dish. I'm bookmarking it to try. The sauce looks very delicious. I'm sure my family would love it. Love your pictures too. Wish I can take such good, sharp pictures like you!