1 organic zucchini        $.90

Heavy cream                $1.49

Parsley                          $1.49

6 Clams                         $2.17

6 Mussels                      $2.10

1 lemon                         $.79

Wild baby scallops       $2.43    a handful

4 Fresh Squid               $1.52

Shrimp                          $5.61    a handful

De Cecco Fettuccine    $2.49

 

Total                            $20.99

 

Gourmet dinner for 2 at home under $25: Priceless!

 

It’s very rare that my boyfriend is home for dinner, he is usually at work making dinner for other people. So tonight I decided to put on the apron and make something nice and quick for dinner. I do have a full time job and I don’t have time on a week day to spend hours behind the stove so this is 2 very easy recipes to make a wonderful dinner that would wowed your loved one!

 

Salad of grilled squid with roasted bell peppers and Zucchini

Fettuccini dell mare

 

For the salad:

Clean your fresh squid. I have a wonderful cast iron grill that I put on 2 burners. On side is a griddle the other one as grooves, perfect for restaurant like markings on veggies, meat and fish. I would recommend to anyone to have one. Slice the zucchini length wise very thin slice. If you don’t feel comfortable with you knife skills then use a mandolin. Rub the zucchini with a bit of Olive oil, salt and pepper and grill them few minutes on each side just to give them a nice color mark. Then give the same treatment to the squid. Depending on the size of your squid, this should only take 2-3 minutes. Don’t over cook them. You can always pull one aside and touch it with the tip of your finger, the meat should be still soft but not rubbery.

On a plate lay down your zucchini. In a bowl drizzle a bit of olive oil, salt & pepper, a bit of garlic and parsley minced add a table spoon of lemon juice. Mix it all with a fork/wisk. I always have in my fridge a small plastic tub with roasted bell pepper and I will recommend you to do the same. It’s great to dress a salad, put in a sandwich or on pizzas, I love it! Get 2 red bell peppers you can roast them on the flame if you have a gas stove. Please DO NOT set them on the flame and leave. This is something you have to keep an eye on. I usually use my tongues and make sure the entire skin becomes black. Then I quickly stick them in a plastic bag and seal it for about 10 minutes until it cools off. (The steam will do the rest of the work) Then, just peel the black skin off. Clean the bell peppers so you are left only with the flesh (no seeds or membrane) put them in a plastic container, cover with olive oil, throw in some minced garlic and parsley, a bit of salt and pepper and then you have it.

Take a couple lobe of roasted bell peppers, slice them and toss them in the bowl with the dressing, when your squid is cooled of, slice it and do the same. Keep the tentacles intact. Once mixed just grab a handful and put in on top of you zucchini. You’re done!

 

For the pasta, this is a dish that seriously only takes 10-12 minutes.

You need 2 burners for this job. One for the pot filled with boiling water (for the pasta), add some salt to the water until the mix taste like sea water (Not too much though) and a large pan for our seafood.

I usually throw my pasta in the water and while they cook I do the rest of the dish. (If you use fresh pasta, your cooking time will be a lot faster)

I take the pan, but a spoon of butter and a small drizzle of olive oil (so the butter doesn’t burn), add some sliced shallots, and sweat them but no need for color here. Once they are translucent, add a tea spoon full of garlic, and a good glass of white dry wine (I always have a bottle of cheap dry cooking wine in my fridge) let the wine reduce a bit then throw in your shrimp, clams and mussels, a dash of heavy cream cover for 1 minute or until the shellfish start to open. When they do, throw in the baby clams. Reduce the fire. Grab some of your pasta and throw it in the pan with the seafood mix. Add a table spoon of minced parsley, season to taste and it’s ready to serve.

Yep just like that, enjoy with a glass of white wine. And please don’t go throw some cheese on that, I will have a heart attack!!!

 

Buon appetito