Linguine with seafood and garlic crumbs

By: Lyndey Milan
From: Taste of Australia
Serves: 4
Prep: 15 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Photographer: Stuart Scott

I followed my own farmgate trail on the south coast of New South Wales, collecting john dory fillets, scallops and mussels from Lucky in Ulladulla and local vegetables from my friend Carole Ruta from South Coast Providores. Inspired, I created this dish on the banks of the Clyde River. You could use any assortment of seafood.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
80ml	extra-virgin olive oil
1kg	mixed seafood – john dory fillets, scallops and mussels, debearded
2	baby fennel bulbs, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
2	garlic cloves, finely chopped
2	zucchini, cut into thin matchsticks
250g	cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
60ml	dry white wine
	salt, to taste
	freshly ground black pepper, to taste
500g	linguine
1 bunch	chives, finely chopped

Garlic crumbs

Quantity	Ingredient
60ml	extra-virgin olive oil
1	large red chilli, finely chopped
1	large green chilli, finely chopped
1	garlic clove, finely chopped
70g	fresh sourdough breadcrumbs

Method

Make the garlic crumbs by heating the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the chilli, garlic and breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, for a few minutes or until crisp. Remove from the pan and reserve.
For the seafood, heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and sear the john dory fillets and scallops on both sides until almost cooked. Remove from the pan to a warm place and reserve.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the fennel until it is beginning to soften.
Add the garlic and zucchini and cook for 1 minute more, stirring until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, wine and mussels and simmer, covered, until hot and the mussels open. Discard any mussels that do not open. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile cook the linguine in a large saucepan of boiling salted water following the packet instructions; drain, reserving 125 ml of the cooking liquid.
Add the fennel fronds and chives to the mussels and vegetables, then add the drained pasta. Toss gently, adding the reserved cooking liquid if necessary. Serve topped with the john dory, scallops and garlic crumbs.

Wine

This dish celebrates fresh seafood and the wine needs to enhance that, so go for the delicate flavours of a semillon – one with a little age will develop toasty flavours and also work with the crumb.