Ingredients

  • 1 lb linguine (or spaghetti)
  • 3 chorizo sausage links, approximately 1 lb (Mexican with the casing removed and sauteed, Mexican is soft with casing whereas Spanish is the hard)
  • 3 lbs mussels, cleaned and rinsed (the mussels I get from either my grocery store or seafood store are already cleaned, I just rinse co)
  • 2 lbs shrimp, peeled, tails removed and deveined
  • Sauce
  • 1 cup fennel, cut in half and then thin sliced
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  • 4 shallots, minced
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes (I like the one with basil & oregano if possible or any Italian seasoning)
  • 1 1/3 cups white wine
  • 1 1/3 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

Method

  • Chorizo -- In a very large saute pot heat to medium / medium high and add the olive oil and chorizo. Saute until the chorizo is done and make sure to break it up as it cooks. It should take about 5-7 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
  • Vegetables -- After you remove the chorizo, reserve just 1 teaspoon of the drippings to cook your vegetables inches The rest, please discard. Add the shallots, garlic and fennel and cook 3-4 minutes, just until slightly tender and has absorbed the flavors from the chorizo.
  • Sauce -- Then to the same pot, add the wine to deglaze and cook just a minute. Then add in the chicken broth, tomatoes, the chorizo, salt and pepper and simmer 3-4 minutes.
  • Seafood -- To the rich tomato broth, add the mussels (don't forget, if the mussels are not closed, tap on the counter, if they don't close -- toss them out, they are bad), and cook until half way about 4 minutes. Then add the shrimp on top but make sure they are submerged in the broth, and cook another 3-4 minutes until they turn pink and begin to curl. Don't overcook.
  • Pasta -- As the seafood broth cooks, cook the pasta according to package directions.
  • Finish -- Once the pasta is done, drain and toss with the seafood broth, cilantro (save some for a garnish), parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper (to taste).
  • NOTE: Go easy on the salt, mussels have a salty sea taste as does the chicken broth and tomato sauce, so taste as you go. You can always add more at the end of cooking.
  • Serve -- In a large bowl so you get plenty of the sauce - Good crusty grilled bread, topped with a little store bought pesto or with my anchovy butter to dip with the mussels and shrimp. Absolutely Heavenly!
  • Garnish with some fresh lemon wedges or lemon slices if you like.