Seared Shrimp and Scallop Pasta (Press Gang winner)

Seared Scallop and Shrimp Pasta with Goat Cheese (finished with harissa oil)

Serves 4

12 large scallops (soaked in cold water, and dried well on a paper towel)

12 large shrimp (peeled, deveined, and dried well on a paper towel)

1 lb dried pasta (fettuccini or linguine)

3 cloves garlic (grated on a micro plane)

¼ cup finely diced red onion

¼ cup finely diced carrot

¼ cup finely diced celery

1 medium zucchini (1/2 inch dice)

1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and diced

¾ cup goat cheese

¼ c chicken stock

¼ c white wine;  ½ c white wine

½ cup fresh or frozen peas

Salt and pepper to taste

celery leaves to garnish

Parmesan cheese to garnish

Harissa or red pepper oil to taste

Bring a large skillet up to a med-high temperature and add 2 TBSP olive oil.  Add onion, carrot, celery and cook about 3 minutes, browning slightly.  Add the zucchini, tomatoes, jalapeno, and garlic and saute on medium high heat 2 minutes.  De—glaze with the wine and cook for about 3 minutes so the alcohol burns off.  Add the chicken stock, salt, pepper, and goat cheese.  Melt goat cheese and leave on warm burner.

Heat a frying pan to high heat and add 1 tbsp canola or high temp oil.  Score scallops in a grid on one side and season shrimp and scallops generously with salt and pepper.  Lay scallops scored side down, in a circle in the saute pan and leave on high heat for 2 minutes until seared well.  Turn and sear only 30 seconds and remove from pan.  Add another tbsp of canola and add shrimp and sear on a high heat for 2

Meat Ravioli

Meat Ravioli Dough

2 c all purpose flour
2 whole eggs
6 egg yolks
2 TBSP good olive oil

Mix in food processor with metal blade for about 45 seconds.  Dough will look like beads.  Empty onto a floured wooden board and knead a few times to bring together.  Form this into a 6" cylinder.  Wrap in plastic and let rest on the counter (room temperature) 1-4 hours.

Ravioli filling 

2 slices white bread
1 oz fresh grated parmesean
1/4 c chicken stock
1 egg
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb ground pork or beef (or 1/2 lb of each)

In bowl of food processor with metal blade, process bread to a fine crumb.  Add garlic, parsley, salt fennel, lemon, pepper and process well.  Add egg and chicken stock and process to combine.  Add meat and pulse to combine 5-7 times.  Don't overwork.  Empty into a bowl and gently mix with a spatula until just combined.  Cover and refrigerate.

Lightly flour wooden board.  Cut dough cylinder into 6 equal pieces.  Take one piece and cover the remaining 5 pieces.  Press the first piece out to a rectangle about 2" by 4".  Flour a rolling pin and roll out to rectangle about 20'' long and 6" wide.  Roll from the centre to each end, turning dough each time.  Sorry I didn't take a picture!  When finished place on parchment and cover loosely with plastic.  Repeat with each piece of dough;  loosely covering each piece.

Take one piece of dough and brush with egg whites left over from combined dough.  Using a measuring tablespoon, place a spoonful of meat on the dough, 1" from the bottom and leaving 1.5" in between.  You should be able to get 5-6 pieces.  Cut in between each piece and fold the non meat end over the meat mixture.  Work carefully to ensure all of the air is out of the pocket and the edges are all sealed.  Trim with a crimping cutter to even edges.

Place ravioli pieces on parchment lined cookie sheet.  (These can be placed in a freezer - once frozen they can be placed in a ziploc bag and back in the freezer).

Bring water in dutch oven to a boil and salt generously.  Drop fresh or frozen ravioli in the pot in batches - 8/12 at a time.  Simmer (not boil!) on the stove 14 minutes.  Ravioli can be placed on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and then refrigerated for up to 2 days.  Drop in your favorite pasta sauce and serve.

Quick Tomato Sauce

1 large can unsalted diced tomatoes (or whole tomatoes broken up)
2 TBSP good olive oil
2 TBSP butter
1/2 med sized yellow onion diced finely
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 tsp oregano
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c your favourite wine (red or white)
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesean
salt and pepper to taste

In large frying pan, gently melt butter and heat oil.  Add garlic and onion and soften at low heat (don't brown it!) about 8-10 minutes.  Add oregano and cherry tomatoes and cook to bloom the oregano, about 5 minutes.   Add remaining ingredients and simmer about 10 minutes on medium heat.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper.