Locanda De Gusti chef picks two seafood recipes for you to try
Zuppa di fave, zucca, pomodorini e cozze
(broad beans and butternut squash soup with fresh mussels). Serves 4
Ingredients :
1 kilo butternut squash (peeled and diced)
250g broad beans
2 potatoes (diced)
1 shallot (diced)
250g misto corto (short mixed pasta)
1 kilo fresh mussels (cleaned)
250g cherry tomatoes on the vine
Salt and pepper to season
Flat leaf parsley
Olive oil
2 1/2 pints of vegetable stock
1 extra pint of vegetable stock
Method:
Get a large pot and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat the oil a little, then add the shallot, potato, butternut squash and broad beans to the pot.
Stir and let it heat through for a few minutes.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdNow add the 2 1/2 pints of vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper.
Allow it to cook on a gentle heat for about 2 hours. Once done add the other pint of vegetable stock.
Bring to the boil and stir in the pasta and let it cook on a moderate heat stirring occasionally for about 8-10 minutes.
Add the fresh mussels, cover with a lid and let the mixture cook for a further 3 minutes until the mussel shells have opened. Be sure to throw away any mussel shells that have remained closed.
When you have put the short mixed pasta into the pot, place the cherry tomatoes into the oven along with a drizzle of olive oil on moderate heat.
Once ready, put the soup into a bowl, decorate with the oven-baked tomatoes, a sprinkle of flat leaf parsley and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
Astice al forno con Timballo di verdure
(oven-baked lobster with a timbale of vegetables). Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 fresh Scottish lobsters (live)
1 green pepper de-seeded and sliced
1 red pepper de-seeded and sliced
1 yellow pepper de-seeded and sliced
1 aubergine sliced
1 courgette sliced
150g Kalamata olives
Flat leaf parsley
1 garlic clove
Pesto infused olive oil
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
White wine
Method
Put olive oil and garlic clove into a large pan.
Heat gently and add in all of the sliced vegetables.
Stir and cook on a moderate heat for at least 4 minutes. Add olives. Take the lobsters and cut in half – if you are unsure about doing that, ask the fishmonger to do it for you.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdPut the lobsters on to a baking tray and season with salt and pepper, olive oil and a dash of white wine, and cook in the oven for 10 minutes at gas mark 5 or 190 degrees.
If you are not sure of the timings, then just watch out for the lobster changing colour – when it is all pink it means it’s ready. On a baking tray, put four ring moulds and fill them up with the pan-cooked vegetables.
Place into the oven at the same time as the lobster. Once ready, place the lobster onto a large plate, gently put out the mould rings, lift gently, drizzle with the pesto infused olive oil and then finish off it all with just a sprinkle of flat leaf parsley.