Clams, Healthy oceans, Mediterranean Diet, Pasta, Scallops, Seafood, Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)

Squid Ink Pasta with Clams, Scallops, and Uni Sauce

Indulge your seafood craving with Squid Ink Pasta with Clams, Scallops, and Uni Sauce. The creamy sauce with a wonderful ocean aroma is made with uni (the edible portion of the spiny sea urchin). Uni has a very unique briny, sweet taste and velvety texture.

This picture of my dish won the 2017 Week 3 of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s SeafoodWatch Seafood Month Challenge: Pasta, Home Chef.

  • CA Squid: Good Alternative
  • CA Sea Urchin: Good Alternative
  • US Farmed Clams: Best Choice
  • Florida Sea Scallops: Best Choice

EQUIPMENT: cast iron skillet, saucepan, cutting board, chef’s knife

Squid Ink Pasta with Clams, Scallops, and Uni Sauce

Recipe by Anna Stockel Difficulty: Medium
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

  • filtered water

  • sea salt

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons sliced red bell pepper

  • garlic, minced from a jar

  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 6 hardshell clams

  • 2 sea scallops

  • 8 uni (sea urchin)*

  • 4 oz dried squid ink pasta

  • 12 pea pods

  • freshly ground black peppercorns

Directions

  • Add salt to water in a large pot so that it tastes like the ocean. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.
  • Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until it starts to shimmer.
  • Add garlic, red peppers, and red pepper flakes and stir until garlic is aromatic. Do not let it turn brown.
  • Pour in the cream and let it simmer for a few minutes to reduce and thicken a little.
  • Add clams and scallops and simmer until it thickens to sauce consistency and the clams have opened.
  • Stir in the uni and remove from heat.
  • Turn up the heat on the water and bring it back to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. With one minute to go add the peapods.
  • Drain. Toss with a bit of olive oil and salt.
  • Arrange the pasta, pea pods, clams and scallops on plates, then spoon uni sauce over.
  • Grind a little bit of black peppercorns over and serve immediately.

Notes

  • *Uni usually comes in a tray. If you can get frozen that is perfect and is usually less expensive.

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