Anna Maria Seafood Pasta
This may need a little tweaking, but it is my attempt to recreate a wonderful seafood pasta I had at a great little restaurant while visiting Florida the summer of 2011. It was described on the menu as shrimp & scallops served on linguine topped with a sauce blend of tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh basil, wine, and herb butter.
This may need a little tweaking, but it is my attempt to recreate a wonderful seafood pasta I had at a great little restaurant while visiting Florida the summer of 2011. It was described on the menu as shrimp & scallops served on linguine topped with a sauce blend of tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh basil, wine, and herb butter.
- fresh basil
- 1 cup onion
- 1/2 t thyme
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
- fresh parsley chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 2-3 tbl olive oil
- 1/2 bag scallops
- 1/2 bag medium shrimp
- 1 can artichoke hearts (unmarinated) quartered, drain/reserve juice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or sherry)
- 1 tbl butter
- 2-3 plum tomatoes diced
- 1 t italian seasoning
- 1/2 t tarragon
- 1/2 t crushed red pepper
- salt & lemon pepper to taste
- juice from 1/4 fresh lemon
- linguine (al dente)
- Carbohydrate 203.758497046267 g
- Cholesterol 592.265781747496 mg
- Fat 155.486321692573 g
- Fiber 0.456850004673004 g
- Protein 138.006444803575 g
- Saturated Fat 94.4130835790224 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2046g)
- Sodium 2159.50600181555 mg
- Sugar 203.301647041594 g
- Trans Fat 8.09890856921584 g
- Calories 2740 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat olive oil in large skillet and saute onion & garlic 2-3 min.
- Add seafood, continue cooking 2-3 min
- Add mushrooms & artichokes, cook an additional 2-3 min
- Add wine, cook 1-2 min
- Add remaining ingredients, and cook about 1 min
- If needed, use reserved artichoke juice to moisten
- Toss w/cooked linguine
- Sprinkle w/Parmesan cheese if desired
Why is my pan swimming in liquid and my shrimp the texture of rubber? Cooks attempting coastal seafood pasta frequently dump wet vegetables and cold proteins into an underheated skillet simultaneously, releasing excess moisture that stews the ingredients instead of browning them. Cooking requires managing the moisture barrier of mushrooms and unmarinated artichoke hearts, which demand rapid evaporation over medium-high heat before the wine goes in.
Managing Pan Moisture
Shrimp and scallops cook in minutes, requiring precise adherence to timelines; overcooking shrinks proteins by forcing out their internal moisture. Sautéing the aromatics in olive oil for precisely two to three minutes builds a flavor base without burning the minced garlic, which turns acrid if left too long. Utilizing dry white wine deglazes the pan effectively, dissolving browned fond while reducing rapidly to concentrate acidity. If the sauce becomes too dry, reserved artichoke juice offers a controlled adjustment rather than adding plain water, maintaining the salinity profile.
Achieving Textural Balance
Tossing the pasta directly into the warm pan allows the starches left on the surface of al dente linguine to bind with the herb butter and wine reduction, creating a cohesive coating rather than an oily puddle at the bottom of the bowl. Fresh herbs like basil and parsley should enter at the very end of the sequence to preserve volatile essential oils that degrade under prolonged heat. Maintaining a hot skillet ensures the seafood stays tender while the tomatoes soften just enough to release their juices without breaking down completely.
