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Spaghettoni with seafood a la Lizzy

20/3/2014

 
Spaghettini with seafood by Liz Posmyk Good Things
One after the other the fishermen on the wharf reeled in their catch as we looked on from the timber deck on the historic cargo shed-turned-restaurant above. Watching the sunset with 180 degree vistas of ocean, lake and mountains was nothing short of magnificent. The freshness and quality of our meals—coupled with salty air and the theatre of the anglers on the fishing platform below—made for a most memorable evening.
The Wharf at Merimbula NSW by Liz Posmyk

We dined at the Merimbula Wharf Aquarium and Restaurant during our recent trip to Merimbula on the beautiful Sapphire Coast of New South Wales. Fresh local seafood is a feature on the menu, so I was very keen to try the seafood linguini. Owner, Anthony Daly, is a qualified chef and I took the opportunity to chat with him briefly about the dish which, I might just add, was simply delicious! Anthony said he was surprised that I'd noticed the inclusion of anchovies. 'Most people don't pick that up,' he said with a smile. I asked if he'd mind if I shared my take on the dish when I got back home and he kindly obliged (many thanks, Anthony!).

The recipe...

In my creation of this dish I used our home grown garlic, chillies, baby spinach, basil and parsley; together with store bought cherry tomatoes (as my own crop had largely failed in the extreme summer heat). The seafood component included extra large Australian prawns, Australian calamari and flathead, and New Zealand green-lipped mussels (as they were only ones available). For the pasta, I used spaghettoni, as that's what I had in the larder, but you can substitute linguini if you prefer. The recipe is loosely adapted from Rick Stein's linguini ai frutti di mare in his book, Rick Stein's Seafood (BBC 2001). 

Bear in mind that you'll need to work quickly when preparing this dish, as the freshness of the ingredients is imperative and there is nothing worse than overcooked seafood! And take care not to 'cook down' the tomatoes too much.

SPAGHETTONI WITH SEAFOOD A LA LIZZY
About 1kg mixed seafood: green prawns, calamari or squid, mussels, scallops and white fleshed fish
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup good olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bird's eye chilli, chopped
3-4 anchovy fillets, chopped
350g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup baby spinach leaves, washed and drained
500g spaghettoni
1/2 cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
baby basil leaves, to garnish

Prepare the seafood. De-beard and scrub the mussels, set aside. Peel and devein the prawns, set aside. Slice the squid or calamari into rings, set aside. Cut the flathead into large bite sized chunks, set aside.

Start boiling the water for the pasta in a large heavy-based pan. Add a little salt to the water, then add the pasta and cook for around 11 minutes until it is al dente. 

Meanwhile pop the mussels into a saucepan with half the wine, cover and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until the mussels have opened. Tip them into a strainer, reserving the cooking juices. Now heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat; then add the garlic, chilli, anchovies and tomatoes and cook, stirring gently, for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the wine and the cooking juices from the mussels and simmer briefly; then add the prawns, calamari or squid, scallops (if using) and the fish. Cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Add the mussels and stir until heated through. Stir in the baby spinach leaves at the last moment. 

Drain the pasta and return it to the large pan. Pour the seafood and sauce mixture over the pasta and toss over a very low heat until heated through. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with the fresh chopped parsley and serve garnished with baby basil leaves. Serves 4.

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Ingredients for spaghettini with seafood by Liz Posmyk Good Things

Merimbula Wharf Aquarium and Restaurant is situated on the point at Lake Street in Merimbula. The restaurant is open daily from 10am through to the evening, and fish feeding takes place at 11.30am Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Aquarium.
Spaghettini with seafood by Liz Posmyk Good Things
Note: Peter and I visited the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales for the EAT Festival and we were generously hosted by Sapphire Coast Tourism. Please watch Good Things for my upcoming postcards and morsels about the EAT Festival, our special guided tour of the Aquarium with Anthony Daly, and more about the food we enjoyed and the other foodie folks we met in the district.

Tell me dear readers, do you enjoy fishing? And where's your favourite fishing spot in your part of the world? Do tell!   : )
Maureen link
19/3/2014 12:18:35 pm

Wow, Liz, that dish is absolutely gorgeous. It would rival any dish in a fine dining establishment and I just know every bit is fresh and wonderful.

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:22:54 pm

Maureen, thank you! I can hardly wait to make this again. It is really delicious!

Liz link
19/3/2014 12:49:43 pm

What a stunning pasta! My stomach is now grumbling with hunger!!!

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:23:09 pm

Liz, thank you for your kind words xo

Eha
19/3/2014 01:19:31 pm

Oh Liz - I am laughing my head off 'cause opened the same jar of Russino anchovy fillets just yesterday: yes, for another very simple pasta dish!!! This is lovely and absolutely the way Eha likes to eat, but lucky you to be able to get green lipped mussels, lucky you to get such beautiful seafood altogether!! Here in the Highlands everything comes frozen . . . Anyways shopping tomorrow: am 'lusting' after this now so shall see what there is . . .

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:23:51 pm

Snap, Eha, great minds eh! The green lipped mussels were frozen, unfortunately the fishmonger was closed early in the week when we went. Happy cooking my friend.

Eha
21/3/2014 01:14:38 pm

Nice! Got some frozen ones yesterday [all I could access] so I shall be in seafood heaven in a day or two also!! Wish I HAD a fishmonger ;) !!!

Lizzy
21/3/2014 04:11:47 pm

Yay! Wish I had a fishmonger CLOSER to home! : )

Francesca link
19/3/2014 01:53:05 pm

A tasty dish. I like to use Aussie black mussels but up the coast, I imagine that The New Zealand ones are the only ones available. I have noticed this also when staying at Coolangatta. New Zealand is closer than Victoria. As for fishing spots, Lake Tyers is very nice. Cheers, F

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:24:51 pm

Yes Francesca, we cannot always get Australian mussels here in Canberra, especially if the fishmonger is closed early in the week. And I'd rather buy frozen NZ ones than any from elsewhere in the world.

John @ Kitchen Riffs link
19/3/2014 01:59:14 pm

I love seafood with pasta -- wonderful combo. Particularly with such a nice sauce. Anchovies do add a lot of depth of flavor without necessarily having a distinctive taste, don't they? I probably don't use them as much as I should. Good stuff -- thanks.

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:25:09 pm

Thank you, John, they sure do!

Joanne T Ferguson link
19/3/2014 02:41:08 pm

Comment deleted

Jane @ Shady Baker link
19/3/2014 03:24:26 pm

Hi Lizzy, I love the soft colour in your photos.This looks like a delicious pasta dish. Now I feel like taking in a little sea air!

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:25:42 pm

Hi Jane, thank you for your kind words... the sea air is just so delicious!

ela@GrayApron link
19/3/2014 06:17:28 pm

Oh men, Liz, all those garden vegetables and your local sea food! I wouldn't add a thing to your pasta. About fishing - me no fishing, but I do see from my windows small fishing boats leaving to the sea early in the morning...:) ela

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:26:01 pm

Ah, Ela. What a wonderful vista for you in the morning!

Hotly Spiced link
19/3/2014 06:58:14 pm

This dish has so much colour. What a beautifully cooked pasta dish and I can tell there's nothing overcooked here - perfectly al dente. It sounds like you had a wonderful time down south - I love it there xx

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:26:18 pm

Thank you, Charlie! We did too. xo

Tandy | Lavender and Lime link
19/3/2014 10:34:57 pm

This dish of seafood goodness looks sublime! My tomato crop never even got started this year.

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:27:02 pm

Thank you Tandy... our little tomatoes are struggling on. Hope the weather has settled down for you now?

Mary Frances link
20/3/2014 03:54:17 am

Beautiful dish! I love the touch of bluish green on the shells of the mussels.

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:27:17 pm

Thank you kindly, Mary Frances : )

Judy@Savoring Today link
20/3/2014 04:20:32 am

Your garlic is so pink and fresh, and what a treat of seafood! Bright, fresh flavors bring out the best in seafood and makes for a delicious light meal. YUM!

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:27:37 pm

Thanks Judy. I must admit our home grown garlic is rather special!

Kyrstie@AFreshLegacy link
20/3/2014 11:14:48 pm

My favorite things - pasta and seafood. Lovely! I adore anchovies but have not tried adding them to this type of pasta, it is now on my "must try list".

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:27:56 pm

Thanks Kyrstie! Definitely a good thing.

Krista Bjorn link
20/3/2014 11:31:16 pm

Oh my, Liz, this is gorgeous. I could eat at least two bowls of this right now. :-)

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:28:18 pm

I agree with you Krista. I could have easily eaten a second bowl! : )

Karen (Back Road Journal) link
21/3/2014 06:49:59 am

This will be a perfect dish to prepare when we are up at our cottage in Maine this summer. Of course, I'll have to use Maine mussels which aren't as big as the New Zealand ones but delicious nonetheless.

Lizzy
21/3/2014 12:28:37 pm

Perfect, Karen! Please let me know if you enjoy it ox

celia link
26/3/2014 08:48:02 am

Lizzy, that looks AMAZING! Particularly love the look of the green mussels, standing to attention. So nice to see you guys!

Lizzy
26/3/2014 11:16:22 am

Celia darling, thank you. It was especially lovely to see you and Pete too, and to meet June. What a perfect afternoon xox

David link
30/3/2014 03:59:33 am

Liz - I think seafood pasta dishes are my favorite! When we were in Venice, someone nearby (from France) ordered a similar dish and then asked the waiter for Parmigiano-Reggiano. The waiter looked at him, said, "No." and walked away. I love that Italians have such rules! Our local store is having a seafood extravaganza of fresh seafood from the Sea of Cortez in México. While I won't be able to get such a wide variety, I am sure I will do quite well when recreating your masterpiece 9without the cheese, as well)

Lizzy
30/3/2014 09:13:49 am

David, yes, I agree with you on that point... no parmesan is necessary with this, actually I think it would ruin it! Let me know how this turns out for you! : )

Lorraine Not Quite Nigella
3/4/2014 09:18:32 am

I absolutely love seafood pasta Lizzy and this looks full of flavour! :)

Lizzy
3/4/2014 09:18:47 am

Me too, Lorraine : )

Joanne
3/4/2014 09:31:50 am

G'day! looks delicious Lizzy!
Green-lip mussels are so healthy; so many healthy benefits, but love supporting the local Aussie fisheries and farmers too!
Cheers! Joanne

Lizzy
3/4/2014 09:32:04 am

Thanks Joanne!

Krystal
3/4/2014 09:32:36 am

Thank you I am going to treat the family to this tonight!

Lizzy
3/4/2014 09:32:49 am

Wonderful!


Comments are closed.

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    Üdvözölöm
    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
Excerpts may be used provided that full and clear credit is given. Thank you.


Photos used under Creative Commons from alantankenghoe, riptheskull, David Jackmanson, Amani Hasan, SuntanMidori, oropeza, Annie Mole, Vegan Feast Catering, avlxyz, jeffreyw, mockstar, jenly, Syeefa Jay, pizzodisevo (therapy - terapia - Therapie), ginnerobot, cliff1066â„¢, Jim, the Photographer
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