Frutti Di Mare

When you travel New Zealand with a kiwi - she will undoubtedly take you to the very best places.🚢🏝️  Places like Waiheke island.

Glorious is the best word that I know to describe this secluded island.  It had a bustling little city center but also massive amounts of pristine coastline, olive groves, vineyards and untouched countryside.  It truly is a spectacular place.  

I'm like a pavlovian dog when it comes to water.  Not drinking water - that would be weird - but the minute that I get near any body of water - I start to crave fresh seafood.🐟🍤   It doesn't matter if it's a tiny lake or a massive ocean - if I can see and smell the water - I'm going to be looking for seafood for my next meal.  And that was no different on my trip to New Zealand. 

I ate my weight in seafood while I was there but I came home with an undeniable urge to consume even more.🐠  This is a bit of a problem because I don't live near the ocean or even a lake.😩  I usually have to rely on frozen seafood from the grocery store and the generosity and fishing skills of my soon-to-be son in law for fresh fish.  

If you're a seafood lover - like myself - I highly recommend that you try my Frutti di Mare.  It's a whole lot of seafood and spicy flavor packed into one delicious, pasta filled bowl.  I made mine fairly mild but if you like more heat in your food - feel free to kick up the flavor with even more chilies.🌶️ 

Frutti Di Mare
Chili Oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Spicy Tomato sauce
1 pound campari tomatoes, halved
1 Anaheim chili pepper, seeded
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Seafood Pasta
2 lobster tails
1 pound pasta
8 ounces shrimp
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup white wine
8 ounces clams
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
zest of 2 lemons
salt and pepper

For chili oil:  Combine oil and chili flakes in saucepan.  Heat to 180.  Strain.

For Sauce: Drizzle tomatoes and pepper with 2 teaspoons chili oil.

Grill until charred and softened.  

Coarsely chop tomatoes and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add lobster tails and cook until red. (About 4 minutes.)

Remove lobster tails and cook pasta in water until al dente.  Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. Roughly chop lobster.

Add 1 1/2 T. chili oil and 1 t salt to shrimp.

Grill shrimp until cooked through.  

Heat 2 T. chili oil in saucepan.  Add shallots, garlic and 1/2 t. salt.  Cook 4 minutes.

Add spicy tomato sauce and wine and bring to a boil. 

Add clams.  Cover and cook until opened.  

Add pasta, reserved cooking water and parmesan.  

Stir in parsley, lemon zest, butter, salt and pepper.  Top with lobster and shrimp and drizzle with remaining chili oil.  

Ciao!

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