Seafood Noodles in Creamy Garlic Wine Sauce

I used to make this dish often with lobster when we lived in New England. Here in southern AZ fish is not so plentiful, but by using frozen cod, frozen mussels and frozen giant shrimp from Argentina it came together beautifully. Back east I would generally use linguini, spaghetti or bucatini, not Udon noodles, but these thick, chewy, toothsome noodles made the dish kind of exotic.

Plus you cook the noodles for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave saving the step of boiling pasta. The mussels were already in a garlic butter sauce so that was a nice addition to the creamy roux, which is the base of the sauce. They also get cooked in the micro before adding to the dish. Super easy!

Start by blistering one cup of tomatoes in 2 tbsp. garlic oil and a little salt. If you don’t have garlic infused oil, use extra virgin olive oil and add 2 finely minced cloves of garlic once the tomatoes are blistered. Do not add the garlic initially or it will burn and get bitter. Remove the tomatoes from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the cod cut in one inch pieces and shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes on each side on high heat to get a little sear. The fish will continue cooking when you put the whole dish together. If the pan looks dry add a little more olive oil.

The cod is wild Alaskan and the shrimp are colossal red Argentinian. I love these shrimp. They have a nice firm texture and taste like the sea. Thaw the cod completely and press as much liquid from the fish as possible by layering on paper towels.

Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.

To Make the Sauce:

In the same pan add 2 tablespoons butter scraping up any brown bits left from the fish. Once melted add 3 tablespoons flour to make the roux. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and a dash of white pepper.

When you begin making the roux it seems like it will never come together, but be patient and keep stirring vigorously until you have a smooth, creamy paste-like consistency. Press on any lumps of flour to help bring the roux together.

Just when it is smooth and creamy add 1 cup half and half, or in my case I did not have half and half so used 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup milk and then the stirring continues until the cream is totally incorporated with the butter/flour. Finally add 1/2 cup white wine and continue stirring.

I love it when my husband, Jerry gets in on the fun!

Taste for seasoning. Add more salt, white pepper if needed. Reduce heat and add 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, 3 tablespoons diced scallion–green part only and 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic. While he is doing the final stirring on the roux, I microwaved the Udon noodles for 2 minutes and the mussels for about 5 minutes.

Add the cod and shrimp into the sauce. Heat for 4 to 5 minutes on medium high. Add the blistered tomatoes and the Udon noodles. Stir occasionally for 2 to 3 more minutes until the noodles are completely coated with the sauce.

Next add the pre-cooked mussels and stir to combine all ingredients.

Final step: zest 1/2 of lemon into the dish.

Serve garnished with additional parsley. I used curly parsley for garnish as I happen to have both growing in my herb bed.

Happy Mother’s Day to all.

I hope your day has been filled with love, peace and the joy of family.

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5 from 1 vote

Seafood Noodles in Creamy Garlic Wine Sauce

The sauce brings all the beautiful fish flavors together and the noodles work in concert to make this a very flavorful dish.

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. Cod, fresh or frozen, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 8 Colossal Shrimp
• 1 lb. Mussels, in garlic butter sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Garlic oil Or 2 Tbsp. EVOO plus 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 14.2 oz Package Udon Noodles, such as Ka-me brand
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup Curly Parsley, for garnish

For the Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 3 Tbsp. Flour
• 1 cup Half and half
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/8 tsp. White pepper
• 1/2 cup White wine
• 1 tsp. Garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. Scallions, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup Flat leaf parsley

Instructions

• Start by blistering the tomatoes. Heat 2 Tbsp. of garlic oil in a large skillet until nearly smoking. Add tomatoes, a little salt, and roll the pan around until all sides are slightly blistered. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• To the same pan, add 1 more tablespoon olive oil or garlic oil. Drop in the cod and shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until slightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Next make the sauce.

To make the sauce:

• Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in the same skillet used to blister the tomatoes and brown the fish. Scrape up any bits of fish left in the pan. Add 3 Tbsp. of flour and stir vigorously until you have a creamy consistency. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and a dash of white pepper.
• Next add 1 cup half and half and continue stirring until completely smooth and combined.
• Add 1/2 cup white wine and stir again until smooth and creamy.
• Add the minced garlic, chopped scallions, and parsley. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.
• If the sauce is too thick and a splash more white wine to loosen.

Back to Assembling the dish:

• Cook the Udon noodles according to package instructions; about 2 minutes in the microwave. Cook the frozen mussels in garlic butter in the microwave about 5 minutes.
• Add the cod and shrimp into the sauce and cook on high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Next add blistered tomatoes and the cooked Udon noodles. Stir to completely coat the noodles with the sauce and cook for another couple of minutes.
• Add the pre-cooked mussels and stir again until all ingredients are incorporated.
• Zest 1/2 lemon into the dish.
• Serve garnished with an additional 1/4 cup parsley.