Spinach Fettuccini With Smoked Mussels And Basil Cream Recipes

CREAMY SPINACH FETTUCCINE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for one minute. Remove spinach with a large slotted spoon or hand strainer and place in a bowl of cold ice water to stop the cooking. Remove spinach from the ice water and place spinach on paper towels. Squeeze dry and set aside.
• Add a generous pinch of salt to the boiling water and then add the fettucine. Cook pasta to al dente per package instructions. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the rest.
• While pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, cooking until the sauce begins to thicken.
• Season sauce with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Taste and add additional seasonings if needed.
• Add the drained pasta, 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and spinach. Toss and cook over medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes until sauce adheres to pasta. Add additional pasta water if necessary. Remove from heat and toss in basil strips (I use tongs for this, they work great).
• Serve topped with additional basil strips for garnish, if desired, and a hit of freshly ground black pepper.

PASTA WITH SMOKED MUSSELS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes; do not let it brown. Add the tomatoes and cook just until heated through, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the mussels, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.
• Place the linguine in a large bowl and toss with the mussel mixture and the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Divide among 4 plates and serve immediately.

MUSSELS WITH BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• Cook onion and garlic in butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until mussels just open wide, 6 to 8 minutes. (Discard any mussels that have not opened after 8 minutes.) Transfer mussels with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl, then transfer cooking liquid to a blender along with cream, basil, and pepper and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Season sauce with salt and pour over mussels.

FETTUCCINE WITH MUSSELS, BASIL AND CREAM

Steps:

• Bring a kettle of water to a boil for the pasta.
• Heat a large, heavy skillet. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted. Remove the nuts from the pan and reserve. Lower the heat.
• Melt the butter and lightly saute the garlic. Stir in the cream and cook until the cream has reduced somewhat and is slightly thickened. Stir in the basil and mussels. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Boil the fettuccine about two minutes. Drain.
• Add the fettuccine to the skillet. Heat, tossing with the sauce, then serve sprinkled with the pine nuts and basil leaves.

SPINACH FETTUCCINI WITH GORGONZOLA CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat water to a boil for pasta, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.
• Heat butter in a large sauce pot with butter, add garlic, cook 2 minutes then whisk in flour, cook 1 minute. Whisk in stock then cream, bring to a bubble and stir in Gorgonzola, about 2 minutes until melted. Stir in sage and a little pepper and cook 3 minutes more.
• In a serving bowl toss hot pasta with sauce and fresh spinach to wilt in.

MUSSELS AND PASTA WITH CREAMY WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
• Place mussel meat in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
• Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Gently warm the mussels until they release their water, about 3 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
• Wipe out the skillet with paper towels. Melt remaining 3 teaspoons butter in the skillet. Cut any large mushrooms into smaller pieces. Add to the skillet and sprinkle with pepper. Cook until starting to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour wine into the skillet, add red pepper flakes, and cook until wine has reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in cream and add mussels. Heat until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Use tongs to lift linguine out of the pot and add to the skillet with some of the cooking water. Toss to coat with sauce. Plate and garnish with lemon zest.

LEMONY SMOKED SALMON & SPINACH TAGLIATELLE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the garlic for 1-2 mins until softened. Add the spinach and continue to cook until just wilted. Stir through the cream cheese, lemon zest juice and, and some black pepper.
• Drain the pasta but reserve a few spoonfuls of the cooking water. Add the salmon, basil and pasta to the sauce, along with the cooking water to loosen it a little. Toss together and season with more pepper, to taste, before serving.