When Ocean Meets Grain

Pasta on its' own is a treat. Pair it with seafood, from tuna to shrimp and it becomes a special meal. It's a simple no brainer match. The flavors complement each other, with the strong brininess mellowing thanks to the grain's mild flavor.

Master chef and cookbook writer Yotem Ottolenghi wrote about this pairing in yesterday's New York Times Food section. He was inspired by his latest cookbook, Ottolenghi Simple published last week.It features recipes that are multilayered yet comforting along with tasting good.It's  easy cooking yet sophisticated enough to serve it for a dinner party.One such dish is pearl couscous with shrimp and clams. He combines seafood with such aromatic herbs and vegetables like tarragon and fennel. cherry tomatoes are added as is tomato paste. The grain is pearl or Israeli couscous. The grains are bigger in size than the regular one but cooks up the same way. Its' mild taste is a perfect foil for the variety of flavors and it balances out the shrimp and aromatics.Chef Ottolenghi stirs it into the mix of  charred cherry tomatoes,  lemon ,cooked fennel, and chili flakes Pernod, an anise flavored liqueur is added.As he describes it ,it 's sort of like a paella made with barley grains instead of rice. Could a home chef make this with rice or orzo?What about regular couscous? I don't see why not . Cook it separately and add it later as with any grain dish.

Chef Ottolenghi also offers up a more traditional pasta and seafood recipe.His is a shrimp Bolognese, a riff on the classic Italian meat sauce.It's first mixing the peeling king prawns -you can use shrimp - since their flavors are the same - with fennel, onion, garlic and chili flakes.All of this are pulsed in a food processor until the fish are chunks As with the other recipe, tarragon leaves and lemon are fried with the spiced, cut shrimp.Tomato paste, cherry tomatoes and Pernod are also added for flavor.wait until the tomato paste is brown and stick before pouring in the alcohol Again be careful with the Pernod ,carefully pouring it in. It may flame so be careful. Chicken or vegetable stock is added ( this is a personal preference but vegetable stock is more in line flavor wise with the other ingredients) Chef Ottolenghi uses tagliatelli, a thickly cut ribbon pasta but you could use fettuccine or the drinking straw like bucatini.

Mix seafood with grains for a great flavor combination. The brininess is tamed by the couscous and pasta's mildness. The result is an interesting flavor, heightened by tomatoes , herbs and Pernod liqueur.