Seafood Party Recipe

Prepare seafood

Rinse shrimp, scallops, mussels and calamari under cold water. Pat shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels. Discard any mussels with cracked shells or that don’t close when tapped. Trim calamari if needed and pat dry.

Marinate seafood

In a large bowl combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, half the minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the shrimp, scallops and calamari and toss to coat. Let sit 10–15 minutes (no more than 30) in the refrigerator so flavors penetrate.

While seafood marinates, combine the remaining olive oil (1 tablespoon), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining minced garlic, remaining paprika if any, remaining red pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper with chopped parsley and thyme. This mixture will be used to finish the seafood — reserve in a small bowl.

Build sauce

Heat a large wide skillet (12-inch) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter. When it foams, add mussels and the 1/2 cup white wine. Cover and steam for 3–5 minutes until mussels open; remove opened mussels to a bowl and discard any that remain closed. Keep the cooking liquid in the pan. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the reserved marinade mixture, then add the stock and lemon zest. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Add marinated shrimp, scallops and calamari to the simmering broth in a single layer if possible. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stir gently, then cook another 1–2 minutes until shrimp turn pink and opaque, scallops are firm and opaque, and calamari are tender (avoid overcooking). Total cooking time for these items should be about 4–5 minutes depending on size.

Add the steamed mussels back to the pan to warm through for 30 seconds. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with up to 1/4 teaspoon more salt or pepper if needed.

Spoon the seafood and broth into a large shallow serving dish or keep in the skillet. Drizzle with any remaining reserved olive oil-parsley mixture, sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley and optional basil, and scatter lemon zest and lemon wedges around.

Serve immediately with sliced crusty baguette for sopping up the broth. Provide tongs and small forks for guests. Leftovers: cool to room temperature, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days; do not reheat mussels more than briefly to avoid rubbery texture.