Shellfish perfect match for spaghetti

Spaghetti del Pescatore (Fisherman’s Spaghetti) is the kind of simple dish that makes Italian food so enticing. This recipe uses mussels and shrimp, but any shellfish may be substituted.

The accompanying salad uses fennel, a pale green bulb with darker, feathery leaves. It has a similar texture to celery and a very mild licorice flavor.

Shortcut tip: Omit the Celery and Fennel Salad and use a washed, ready-to-eat Italian-style salad instead.

Helpful Hints:

• Wash mussels under cold water. Tap mussels that are open to see if they will close. Discard any that remain open.
• You can find minced garlic in the produce section of most markets.
• Slice the celery and fennel in a food processor using the thin slicing blade.
• A quick way to chop fennel leaves is to snip them with a scissors.

Spaghetti Del Pescatore (Fisherman’s Spaghetti)

Yield 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer.

1 pound fresh mussels

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

½ cup dry white wine

3/4 pound peeled and deveined shrimp

1 cup low-sodium, low-fat tomato sauce*

½ cup chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces spaghetti (1 rounded cup cooked)

2 teaspoons olive oil

Place a large saucepan filled with water on to boil for pasta. Scrub mussels and place in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cover with a lid and cook until shells open, about 2 minutes, shaking pan several times. Remove mussels to a bowl, leaving the juice in the pan. Discard any mussels that are not open. (If juice is sandy, strain through a sieve lined with paper towels.) Add the garlic, crushed red pepper and white wine to the skillet. Boil to reduce liquid for about 1 minute. Lower heat to medium and add shrimp and tomato sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink; remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Return mussels to skillet and set aside, covered.

Cook spaghetti in boiling water for 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a plate and top with shrimp and mussel sauce.

Per serving: 548 calories, 91 calories from fat, 10.1 g total fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, 4.2 g monounsaturated fat, 278 mg cholesterol, 483 mg sodium, 50.3 g carbohydrate, 3.8 g dietary fiber, 8.3 g sugars, 50.8 g protein.