Seafood Pierro's Recipe

Prepare and marinate seafood

Rinse shrimp, scallops, calamari and mussels under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 0.5 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add shrimp, scallops and calamari; toss to coat and let sit 10–15 minutes while you prepare other components. Keep mussels refrigerated and check for any open ones; discard any that do not close when tapped.

Quick sear (optional for color)

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear scallops 45–60 seconds per side until golden (they will finish cooking later). Remove to a plate. Quickly sear shrimp 30–45 seconds per side until pink; remove. Calamari can be seared 30–45 seconds until opaque but not rubbery; remove. Leave any juices in the pan for the sauce.

In a small bowl combine remaining 2 minced garlic cloves, remaining olive oil (if any), remaining lemon juice, 0.5 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and red pepper flakes. Reserve parsley and basil for garnish and finishing. These seasonings will be added to the sauce and used to finish the dish.

Build the sauce

In the same large skillet used for searing (wipe out if it burned, leave fond), melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped shallot and sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add remaining garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute to remove raw flavor. Add cherry tomatoes and cook 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften and release juices.

Deglaze and simmer

Pour in white wine (120 ml) and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the pan. Allow wine to reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes. Add fish or marine stock (240 ml), capers (if using), and bring to a gentle simmer. Let simmer 4–6 minutes to concentrate flavor. If you prefer a creamier sauce, stir in the heavy cream (60 ml) and simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.

Finish with seafood

Add seared seafood back to the skillet along with the mussels. Cover and cook 3–4 minutes until mussels open and shrimp/scallops are cooked through (shrimp opaque and scallops firm). If any mussels remain closed, discard them. Taste sauce and add remaining 0.5 teaspoon salt, additional black pepper or lemon juice as needed. Stir in chopped parsley and torn basil just before removing from heat.

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 120 ml of the pasta cooking water before draining. Add drained pasta to the seafood skillet and toss gently to coat, adding a little reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.

Divide pasta and seafood among plates or bowls. Spoon extra sauce and seafood on top. Garnish with lemon wedges and grated Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.