Shrimp and Scallops Pasta

Happy 2012! I definitely won't make any sort of resolution to update on a regular basis! However, I think documenting my culinary adventures would keep me busy in between studying and prevent me from spending hours and hours on beating Chapter Five of Magicka.

On Friday, I had a sudden, wicked urge to make shrimp pasta.  I usually buy groceries from SuperStore, but the nearest one is an inconvenient both bus ride and walk away, so I usually go to the neighbourhood Safeway, even though it can get stupid-expensive there.

Thankfully, frozen shrimp were on sale.  Specifically, 400 gram bags of 51-60 count shrimp, raw "EZ peel", for $8.88 for two bags; which works out to $1.11 per pound.  Not a bad price!

I also caved in when I saw frozen scallops, which were not nicely priced, at $9.99 for about a pound.  But they were "on sale".  The lesson here:  "On Sale" does NOT always mean "nicely priced"!  Especially at Safeway!

But I digress.

I bought four bags of frozen shrimp and one bag of frozen scallops and went merrily on my way (read: also splurged on more things, but that's not important here).

At home, I looked around at what we had; because I didn't really have a "recipe" in mind.  So I began thinking of what would go well.  I eventually decided on linguine as my pasta base; with a thin sauce of butter, garlic, oregano, parsley and a splash of cognac.  No thickeners.

A quick search showed me how to defrost frozen shrimp safely.  I put a nice 3-person portion of shrimp and scallops into a medium Ziploc bag and squeezed as much air out as possible before sealing.  Then, found a large bowl, filled half-way with cool water; put the sealed bag in; and held it under with another plate and some weight.

I didn't really measure anything, I was going on literally gut instinct ("Hey Guts, how 'bout this much garlic?").

It turned out pretty well, actually!  The scallops were incredibly sweet, and nothing was overcooked!  There were only a few aspects I didn't like:

1. the shrimp was too salty; 
2. the pasta was a bit slimy;
3. the oregano didn't quite jive as well as I thought it would; 
4. the little pieces of garlic weren't picked up by the pasta, and I'd have to scrape the sides of the bowl to get at them.  

I read the frozen shrimp package.  Shrimp, Water, Sodium Tripolyphosphate (also called: sodium triphosphate).  That has to be why it tastes so crazy salty!  I read on.  

I really don't yet know how to summarise my opinion on food additives.  Maybe one day, I will find the right words and have good sources of information; but for now, I'll summarise it this way, being deliberately vague:  

Anything you put in your body causes changes in your body.  A simple thing like browning a potato (thanks, California) can make increase its cancer-producing probability.  But there are two factors important to me: what the thing does and in what concentration; and why I would put it in my body.  

For example:  I don't live somewhere I can get fresh shrimp easily.  So I buy frozen shrimp.  I don't have gobs of money, so I buy my frozen shrimp on sale or just the cheapest one if I really need it.  This usually means it comes from China, and contains sodium tripolyphosphate.  But I do have a certain amount of "trust" in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to not allow "reasonably" dangerous foods to consumers.  So I trust that the amount of additive is enough to keep my frozen shrimp "fresher", but not enough to cause harm in "reasonable" doses.  

However, I now have realised that there is another side-effect of sodium triphosphate, which is more immediately unpleasant:  THE SALTY TASTE.  

So today, when I decided to attempt shrimp and scallop pasta again, I made the following changes: 

1. rinse the shrimp after it has thawed, immediately before cooking (to minimise time for bacteria to multiply); 
2. use rotini instead of linguine; 
3. season with tarragon; 
4. measure things so I can better remember for the next time I make this!  

The idea of rinsing the shrimp is to minimise the salty taste (results to follow).  Hopefully the deep recesses of the rotini pasta would scoop up the bits of garlic so they are enjoyed more fully; and maybe spread out the oiliness of the sauce.  I cooked the rotini to al dente so they would hold up better when tossed with the sauce (method below).  This also makes a nice contrast in textures; softer toward the edges, slightly firmer toward the centre of the spiral.  And, I think tarragon goes better with the flavours in the dish.  

Shrimp and Scallop Pasta

(version 2)

Components: (loosely measured)

frozen shrimp and scallops (enough for 2 people; about two small fist-sized portions)

rotini (enough for 2 people; about two large fists), cooked al dente

garlic (I used almost a whole head, minus two cloves)

cognac, 1.5 ounces (1 large shotglass)

butter (maybe 2 Tbsp)

olive oil (maybe 1 Tbsp)

tarragon, big pinch (maybe 1 Tbsp)

Thaw shrimp and scallops by placing into a large resealable plastic bag and submerging in cold water .  If shrimps are notoriously salty, rinse (this can be done while frozen I guess).  Shell.  Rinse.  Drain.

Cook rotini to al dente.  Drain.

Mince garlic finely!  Put the oil and about 2/3 the butter in large skillet on medium heat, melt butter.  Add garlic.  Stir.

I like to use a silicone spatula to get into the edges and prevent the garlic from sticking.  This should be enough butter/oil to prevent the garlic from sticking, but if not, feel free to add more; stuck garlic means burnt garlic, which isn't what we're going for here.  Add a pinch of salt, black pepper, tarragon.  Slowly cook the garlic until fragrant; then turn up the heat to start browning them.

Add shellfish.  Stir to coat and keep shellfish moving (flipping).  Add cognac.  Keep cooking until shrimp are about almost finished turning pink (still a little blue in the thicker parts); reduce heat to low.

Add last bit of butter if needed (check consistency).  Toss in rotini.  Mix gently but thoroughly to trap the garlic bits inside the spirals!

Continue on low heat until shrimp are done (pink) and rotini thoroughly coated.

Serve warm.

My thoughts:

Shrimp saltiness:  Less pronounced than the first time; but definitely still present.  I wonder if there's a way to get rid of that taste!!

Scallops were less sweet this time.  I wonder if this was from having the shrimp and scallops in the same rinse water...  Will avoid that next time.

Rotini performed perfectly at their task of picking up the garlic and spreading out the sauce!  Plus I love the slight chewiness that linguine just can't give me.

Tarragon:  PERFECT with the scallops and cognac.  I think it would be perfect with non- sodium triphosphate shrimp, but that's speculation at this point.

Cognac:  I only measured it because it wasn't mine, and had to demonstrate how little I'd be using.  Honestly, it could have used more, but cognac is expensive (this was a gift, fortunately).

I'll be making this again!

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