Cajun Recipe for Seafood Fettuccine

We love this Cajun Recipe from Village Tavern Executive Chef Mary Grace Viado Howard. For one thing, we’re both big seafood lovers. For another, the rich, pungent spices of Cajun cuisine always remind us of our time in New Orleans. This dish may be more “Big” than it is “Easy,” but we suggest pairing it with a homemade Hurricane and some rollicking jazz or Zydeco to give your day a dash of French Quarter flavor.

INGREDIENTS:  3 tbsp. Olive Oil • 8 Jumbo Sea Scallops, fresh (2 per serving) • ½ tsp. Kosher Salt • ¼ tsp. Coarse Grind Black Pepper • 5 oz. Andouille Sausage, sliced ¼” • 8 Jumbo Shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail-…off (2 per serving) • 1 ½ cup Cajun Pasta Sauce (recipe below)• 20 oz. Fettuccine, cooked • Garnish: 1 tbsp. Green Pepper, diced • 1 tbsp. Red Pepper, diced • 2 tbsp. Green Onions, sliced

DIRECTIONS:  Season the scallops lightly on both sides with salt and black pepper mix. • Preheat large sauté pan on high heat. • Add oil when the pan is hot and let it simmer. • Immediately put scallops in the pan, flat side down. • Cook for one minute, lifting the edges gently. • When the scallops are caramelized and a mahogany brown color, turn them over and reduce heat by half. • Cook for another minute. • Add shrimp and sausage. • When shrimp is done, add sauce. • When sauce is hot and mixed with seafood, add well-drained, cooked pasta. • Place in a bowl or platter and place scallops and shrimp around the pasta. • Sprinkle green and red pepper over pasta. Garnish with green onions.

CAJUN PASTA SAUCE: Yields approx. 10 cups.

INGREDIENTS: 2 tbsp. Olive Oil • 1 cup Yellow Onion, diced • ¼”1 cup Tasso, shredded in processor • 2 tbsp. Garlic, minced • ½ cup Cajun Seasoning • ¾ cup White Wine • ¾ cup Tomato Paste • 2 quarts Heavy Cream • 1 ½ tbsp. Texas Pete • 3 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce • 3 tbsp. Dijon Mustard (smooth, not grained)

DIRECTIONS: Heat oil over medium heat in a stockpot. • Add onions and sauté about ten minutes, or until soft and fragrant. • Do not allow onions to color. • Add Tasso, garlic and Cajun seasoning. • Continue to sauté for three minutes, stirring constantly. • Add white wine and tomato paste, stir, and simmer until mixture is quite thick. • Do not allow bottom to scorch. • Add cream, Texas Pete and Worcestershire. • Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. • Remove from heat, whisk in mustard and serve.

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