Shrimp & Mussel Linguine with a Zesty Tomato Sauce 🍅✨

Ingredients:
Olive oil
Kosher salt
½ lb jumbo shrimp (tail-on, shelled, and deveined)
2 shallots (thinly sliced)
1 small fennel bulb (cored and thinly sliced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup white wine
1 ½ cups canned crushed tomatoes
¾ lb linguine pasta
3 tbsp butter
½ tsp lemon zest
2 lemons (juiced)
½ lb mussels (scrubbed and debearded)
Fennel fronds, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions:
Prepare the shrimp: Heat a large 12” frying pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Pat the shrimp dry and season with a pinch of salt. Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and sear until golden on one side, then flip and cook until just done. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
Sauté the vegetables: In the same pan, add a bit more olive oil and the shallots. Cook until they begin to caramelize, then add the fennel and continue cooking until fully caramelized. Season with a pinch of salt, then stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 30 seconds.
Make the sauce: Pour in the white wine, stir well, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water, following the package instructions but cooking it 1 minute less than indicated.
Finish the sauce: Stir the butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice into the sauce. Add the mussels, cover the pan, and steam them for about 3 minutes or until they open. Add the shrimp back into the pan and stir to heat through.
Combine pasta and sauce: Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and gently toss to combine. Season with additional salt to taste.
Serve and garnish: Serve the pasta in a large bowl or directly from the pan. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, fennel fronds, a little lemon zest, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
This dish brings together sweet shrimp, tender mussels, and flavorful pasta in a zesty tomato sauce. Enjoy!