I have just been needing a big bowl of pasta in my life and the universe provided it!
I was down in Pike’s Place Market the other day shopping for my fruits and vegetables. While I was waiting for them to put my order together I popped over to a neighboring stand who were selling a wide array of interesting flavors of pasta. My intention was to buy only one package (I am terrible about going to a market stand and refraining from buying anything) but they had so many unique flavors I couldn’t decide.
So, I decided to buy 4 packages! That is what you do when you can’t decide what to buy, right? Just buy everything.
One of the flavors I bought was Tunisian harissa. It had this beautiful orange color. I was playing around with what sauce I wanted to make when I randomly called my mom who was with me at the time; had bought the same pasta. She told me she had made a shrimp Cajun-style sauce. I was like, “Thanks Mom, that is a great idea! I am going in that direction too!”
I have to admit that I am not super familiar with Cajun cooking but it is definitely a cuisine I have wanted to get myself comfortable with. I had read in one of my continuous food studies that the base of any Cajun or Creole dish is a dark flavorful roux.
Like most of you know I try to avoid overdoing it on the dairy when possible and I knew the roux would help add thickness to the sauce without too much need for cream or milk. (I used almond milk!)
I added shallots and garlic to the pan and let it sweat for a bit and then added the flour and butter. I let the mixture cook for about 20 minutes until the roux was nice and brown.
One of the aspects I love about my Butcher Box is that I always have a fun variety of selections in my freezer. Butcher Box started selling scallops so I definitely made sure they were in my next box. I wanted to add seafood to this dish, so it was like perfect timing! Plus, I love scallops! I always have, they are one of my favorite seafood dishes to order on any menu. They are so buttery and melt in your mouth.
These Cajun pan-seared scallops in brow butter are no exception!
Just don’t overcook them! It’s so easy to do because they cook so fast. For me, I like them almost raw in the middle. Scallops that have been cooked too long are rubbery and you do not want that!
I added fish stock which I felt would contribute more to the seafood flavor that I was looking for, but you can add chicken or vegetables just as easily.
To make it easier for me to incorporate the essential oils I just made a Cajun seasoning beforehand. Honestly, whether you use essential oils or not it is just easier this way, but making the spice before makes it easier to ensure you don’t overuse the essential oils to the point of not tasting good; especially when potent oils like oregano and thyme are involved!
I almost forgot! The Cajun seasoning was also what we used to coat the scallops before we cooked them. Another reason for making the seasoning in advance.
I will say right now, the Cajun sauce is delicious on its own. You don’t NEED the basil chimichurri but it does add a refreshing and flavorful element that really compliments the sauce. It’s also really quick to make! I just tossed in the basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon essential oil, and vinegar into a food processor and pushed start. Done!
This was another time that essential oils came to my rescue. I realized I didn’t have a single lemon in my house so I just grabbed my bottle of lemon and was saved. If you do have lemon, definitely throw in some zest and a little bit of juice. Easy peasy either way!
To me, pasta is a great dish to have once it starts getting a little colder outside, and here in Seattle, it is getting just that. We pretty much had a torrential rainstorm yesterday which was amazing.
(I love cloudy rainy weather, so yes, I was made to live here in Pacific Northwest.)
The only thing that makes life a little better on a chilly night is a big bowl of creamy spicy Cajun pasta topped with herby basil chimichurri and buttery pan-seared scallops.
A nice glass of wine (or a Sazerac or two) and you have a perfect evening!
Maybe grab a blanket or a wrap and head outside (or to your rooftop) to enjoy the crisp evenings before it gets too cold!
Creamy Cajun Fettuccine with Pan Fried Scallops and Basil Chimichurri
Ingredients
- 1 pound scallops
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons homemade cajun seasoning (recipe below)
- 1 pound fettuccine
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons homemade cajun seasoning
- 2 cups fish or seafood stock
- 1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup white wine
Basil Chimichurri
- 2 cups fresh basil
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 5 drops doTERRA lemon essential oil*
- Kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- To start off, make the homemade Cajun seasoning (recipe below) and the basil chimichurri. Add the basil and garlic clove to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the olive oil, vinegar, lemon essential oil drops and a dash of salt and pepper until all combined. Set aside.
- To prepare the scallops, pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and then toss them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the Cajun seasoning. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan on medium-low heat, add the butter to the pan and sweat the garlic and onions for about 10 minutes. Slowly stir in the flour and continue to cook until the roux is darker in color, about 25 minutes. When the roux is dark enough stir in the milk and then slowly stir in the seafood stock until all is well combined. Add in the white wine, tomato paste and sugar and Cajun seasoning. Let simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Just before draining, remove about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta.
- While that happens, heat the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the scallops and sear on both sides until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the scallops from the skillet to a plate
- Divide pasta to plates and add the chimichurri, seared scallops and extra basil for garnish. Enjoy!
Essential Oil Cajun Seasoning
- Mix together in a small bowl 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon thyme and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional.) Add in 2 drops of black pepper and thyme essential oil and 1 drop oregano.
