Hot Seafood Salad
This sophisticated version of pasta with clams combines sauteed mussels and scallops with linguine. The linguine is served on a bed of radicchio and goat cheese; the cheese begins to melt under the hot linguine. The final touch is the sharp taste of the mustard-butter sauce, which pairs nicely with the radicchio and goat cheese.
Ingredients
- Mussels
- Mussels - 2 pounds, extra-large
- Shallots - 2 extra-large, chopped
- Dry white wine - 1 cup
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Scallops
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Sea Scallops - 1 pound
- Scallions - 1 tablespoon, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Linguine
- Linguine - 1 pound
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Mustard-Butter Sauce
- Dry white wine - 1/2 cup
- Shallots - 2 large
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/2 tablespoons
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 pound, room temperature, quartered
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Mustard - 1 teaspoon
- Radicchio - 1 head, torn apart and washed
- California Goat Cheese - 1/4 pound, cut into 4 pieces
- Salmon Caviar - 4 teaspoons
Instructions
To prepare the mussels: Scrub the mussel shells. Rinse in cold water. Drain and combine the mussels with the shallots and wine in a large saucepan. Cover, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the mussels open and pull away from the shell. Remove the mussels from the shells; debeard if necessary. Wash and reserve the shells for garnish. Saute the mussels in a little olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper, until hot. Set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the scallops: Heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add the scallops, scallion, salt, and pepper. Saute until warm, firmed, and lightly browned. Set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the linguine: Bring 3 to 4 quarts lightly salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain well. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet and saute the linguine, seasoning with salt and pepper, until hot and shiny with olive oil. Set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the sauce: Combine the wine and shallots in a saucepan. Cook to reduce to 1 tablespoon of liquid. Add the cream and heat until warm. Bit by bit, whisk in the butter. Adjust the temperature by moving the pan on and off the heat; at the first sign of yellow streaks, take the pan off the heat and whisk in more butter until the mixture emulsifies again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain. Stir in the mustard and set aside over warm water or in an insulated jar until ready to use.
To serve: In the center of each warmed serving plate, place one or more radicchio leaves, depending on size, to make a small bed of radicchio. Place sauteed linguine on each leaf. Top with goat cheese and caviar. Arrange four mussel shells on each plate around the radicchio. Place one sauteed mussel in each shell. Place scallops between the mussels. Garnish with any remaining mussels. Spoon mustard-butter sauce over the scallops and mussels and drizzle sauce over the linguine.
