Maggie Monday: Scallops and Shrimp Casserole

October 15, 2012

I cannot wait to try the recipe below. I love shrimp and scallops and am currently on a casserole kick. Take a look…

Growing up in Ohio, we didn’t eat much seafood other than the occasional fried perch or mackerel that dad brought back from the occasional Lake Erie fishing trip.

Once I moved to Virginia, I began to sample and cook with a lot more seafood. It is great living in a coastal state!

#1 son has a taste for seafood. Who am I kidding? He has a taste for all food. In massive quantities. I was rather sorry that I made this dish, as he wanted it on a weekly basis. Even in a coastal state, scallops are expensive! The good thing is that there are never any leftovers when he is around!

This casserole is a nice change from my usual simple grilled, sautéed or broiled scallops. The white wine sauce is smooth and creamy, and the parmesan cheese adds a nice finish. This dish is always impressive for guests when made in individual casseroles.

Seafood Casserole

What you need:

6 oz uncooked spaghetti, broken

1/2 lb fresh scallops, cut in half or quarters if large

½ lb fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined. Smaller ones are best.

6 Tbs butter

4 Tbs flour, divided

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups half and half cream

4 Tbs white wine or sherry

½ cup sliced button mushrooms

1 cup frozen peas

8 Tbs parmesan cheese, divided

What you do:

Cook spaghetti per directions on package. Drain and rinse with hot water.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 2 quart casserole dish, or 4 individual 2 cup ramekins. Thoroughly rinse scallops and shrimp in cold water, drain, and cut scallops to desired size. I like a bite sized piece. Melt 3 tbs of butter in a saute pan. Add seafood and mushrooms and saute over medium high heat. Cook 6-8 minutes, or until scallops are opaque. Remove from pan and set aside. In same pan, melt remaining butter. Add flour, salt and pepper and blend well. Add half and half all at once. Cook until mixture thickens. This should take about 5 minutes. Stir constantly with a whisk. Add 4 T of parmesan cheese. Add scallops and mushrooms back to the pan. Add wine and peas. Continue stirring until heated through. Place spaghetti into saucepan with seafood mixture, and stir it all together until well mixed. Place it all in the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until light brown and bubbly around the edges.