Spaghetti with seafood velouté

Spaghetti with seafood velouté

Treat someone special to this elegant meal for two, with gently poached oysters and other delicious seafood

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 40 mins

Cook time

Cook 40 mins

Method

  1. Prepare all the seafood by first opening the oysters into a sieve over a bowl to catch the juices (see video technique). Trim and slice the salmon into 6 equal-size square chunks. If the scallops are large, cut them in half lengthways. Peel and devein the prawns if needed.
  2. Place the strained oyster juice and fish stock into a shallow saucepan and bring to a simmer. First add the salmon and poach for 1 min. Add the prawns and oysters (if using large ones) and poach for 1 min more. Add the scallops and poach for 1 min more, then add the oysters (if small) and simmer everything for a final min until just cooked.
  3. Carefully tip the fish and poaching liquid into a sieve over a large saucepan or bowl, keeping all the salmon chunks intact.
  4. Heat half the butter in the cleaned shallow pan and add the shallot. Cook very gently for 5 mins until soft but not coloured, then pour in the alcohol and boil until reduced to a few tablespoons. Pour in the poaching liquid and boil down until reduced by half, about 20-25 mins. Stir in the cream and, once more, reduce by half. Turn down to a gentle simmer and whisk in the rest of the butter.
  5. Gently add the seafood to the sauce, taking care not to break up the salmon. Simmer lightly until heated through, then add most of the herbs, squeeze over the lemon juice and set aside.
  6. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water until just done, about 3-4 mins, then drain well and add back to the pan with a drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the herbs. You are now ready to plate up.
  7. Use a roasting fork to twirl a neat bundle of spaghetti. Stand the bundle in the middle of a warm large pasta bowl. Alternate the salmon and seafood around the pasta. Spoon the sauce over the seafood, top the pasta with the chervil or parsley sprigs and serve immediately.
Try

Homemade fish stock

You can buy fresh fish stock from some supermarkets, but homemade is best. For the amount needed here, cover about 750g fish bones, sliced onion and leek with a glass of white wine and 1 litre of water. Add a bay leaf and thyme sprigs and bring to the boil. Skim any froth, simmer for 20 mins, then strain.

Per serving

1049 kcalories, protein 63g, carbohydrate 30g, fat 73 g, saturated fat 36g, fibre 3g, sugar 7g, salt 3.8 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2010.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Grandrixbabe

    02 May 2010

    Grandrixbabe rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Very tasty, but very rich too - you don't need very much of it. Didn't use oysters as I don't like them and it was fine without them.

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  • Binder photo mi4ence

    03 August 2010

    mi4ence rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Same thing: skipped the oysters and lightened it a bit with low fat 3% cream instead: superb!

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  • Binder photo Karen Mul

    03 June 2011

    Karen Mul commented on this recipe

    I made this fabulous dish recently for friends (from one of last year's good food mags). One of them wasn't keen on oysters so I just made it without, adding a few extra pieces of the other fish. We ate it outside on one of the few sunny days in Northern Ireland! It's quite straightforward to make (although it does take time with the reduction of the liquid) and really has that wow factor. It was better than anything I've eaten in a restaurant lately and my friends agree!Karen

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  • Binder photo notthebestchef

    12 November 2011

    notthebestchef commented on this recipe

    This dish is classed as moderately easy, through no fault of our own we've put it back to the realms of easy. The supermarket had no fresh fish stock, tiger prawns or fresh scallops so we made do with ready prepared frozen raw king prawns, frozen scallops and fish stock cubes. It was still delicious! served with fresh spinach linguine instead of spaghetti, a garlic flat bread and some lovely chardonnay. I think there is too much salmon though, the weight shown equates to two fillets but next time i'll only use one. Special dish, v nice ;)

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  • Binder photo notthebestchef

    12 November 2011

    notthebestchef rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    forgot to rate as usual.

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  • Binder photo Sheilakuo

    26 January 2012

    Sheilakuo rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    The dish looks impressive and seems to have long instructions of how to cook it, however it was actually very easy to make and really does have that wow factor. I didn't use ay oysters as I went to the supermarket too late, I just used more scallops and prawns. Turned out beautifully, although I did accidentally reduce the sauce just a tat bit too much (oops) so I added a tiny splash of vermouth and fish stock. All in all, a very straightforward yet elegant dish, will definitely make it again and again in the future ;)

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  • Binder photo Janer

    26 March 2012

    Janer rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Tempted to make then saw the calories Yikes.

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  • Binder photo Debbie Bee

    07 December 2012

    Debbie Bee commented on this recipe

    Left out the oysters and used half fat creme Fraiche to reduce the calories and it's delicious!

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  • Binder photo rosiekliskey

    31 December 2012

    rosiekliskey rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    i made this recipe with just salmon and king prawns, a much cheaper alternative to oysters and scallops! it was delicious and i was so proud of myself for pulling it off! we had a wonderful romantic meal for two on a STUDENT BUDGET!

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  • Binder photo Hanis

    28 February 2013

    Hanis commented on this recipe

    I am a muslim and i am intrigued by this recipe. Although i would like to ask if it is possible for me to substitute the wine with apple juice instead? or anything non-alcoholic? I would greatly appreciate an immediate and well responded answer. thank you.

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  • Binder photo Debbie Bee

    16 March 2013

    Debbie Bee commented on this recipe

    Once you heat the wine, it loses it's alcohol, so it will be fine for you - it does make a difference to the flavour, but you could just use a bit more stock :-)

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  • Binder photo Joketters

    14 April 2013

    Joketters commented on this recipe

    We did this last night and I couldnt get oysters so used more prawns. We do not like salmon but used swordfish and did a whole packets of fresh prawns. I would personally say that the prawns need to go in for the last minute as were a little overcooked. But this was a fantastic recipe, rich, creamy, the swordfish and scallops were a proper delight. I think it took a bit longer to cook than anticipated but has the wow factor!

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  • Binder photo Mallipa

    22 April 2013

    Mallipa rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I enjoyed this dish and made it as a tester for a future 3 course meal I am going to prepare. I do agree is very rich and could be lightened with a low % cream which i will do so next time but any advice on the coloring of the sauce as mine come out very dark to an almost pink?

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 40 mins

Cook time

Cook 40 mins

Ingredients

  • 8 oysters
  • 300g piece skinned salmon fillet
  • 3 large scallops or 6 smaller scallops
  • 6 large raw tiger prawns
  • 500ml fresh fish stock
  • 50g butter
  • 1 large shallot , chopped as finely as possible
  • 200ml white wine or dry vermouth, or half of each
  • 150ml whipping cream
  • large handful mixed soft herbs including parsley and chives, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 150g fresh spaghetti
  • drizzle olive oil
  • chervil or parsley sprigs, to serve
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Per serving

1049 kcalories, protein 63g, carbohydrate 30g, fat 73 g, saturated fat 36g, fibre 3g, sugar 7g, salt 3.8 g

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