Cooler weather has me craving comfort food and few things bring me more comfort than pasta, creamy sauces, garlic, and seafood. So this Seafood Scampi with Fettuccine is perfect for hitting all the checkmarks just now. What's more, I can whip it up in about a half hour. I'd have to wait longer for the pizza delivery guy!
I chose to pair shrimp and tilapia because they are two of my favorites. Fortunately, this recipe works well with any number of seafood and fish choices. Pick your favorite(s) and carry on! If you happen to have a bit of dry white wine, you could deglaze the pan with it after removing the seafood and before adding the stock. About a quarter cup should do it, though I find I don't have much sticking to the pan when using a good nonstick pan, so I didn't include this step in the recipe. Add it back in if you have stuck bits or just want to add some extra flavor.
I like serving this with either a simple green salad or a lightly steamed green vegetable (think green beans or asparagus). Then I pour some white wine and enjoy a classy meal that didn't take much time at all to make! Comfort indeed.
Seafood Scampi with Fettuccine
- 2 T. butter
- 2 T. olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ lb. shrimp, peeled
- ½ lb. tilapia fillets
- Ground black pepper and salt, to taste
- ½ tsp. red chili flakes
- 8 oz. fettuccine
- 3 c. chicken stock
- 2 T. lemon juice
- ½ c. heavy cream
- 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
Melt the butter in a large, nonstick pan and add the olive oil to the melted butter; add the garlic cloves and sauté over medium heat until fragrant.
Add the shrimp and tilapia fillets to the butter, olive oil, and garlic and cook until fully cooked, turning once. When the seafood is nearly done, add the ground pepper, salt, and chili flakes; stir to season the butter-oil mixture and the seafood. Remove the cooked seafood to a plate and keep warm.
Boil the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, add the chicken stock and lemon juice to the butter-oil mixture in the hot pan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the hot pasta to the pan and stir lightly. Add the heavy cream, stir well, and remove the pan from the heat.
Return the seafood to the pan and sprinkle the entire pan with the fresh parsley. Serve hot.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes