SEAFOOD SAUCES

THERE ARE SEVERAL IMPORTANT POINTS to consider when making pasta sauces from seafood. First, most seafood will overcook quickly, so timing is essential. While a meat sauce can often simmer on the back burner for quite some time, a clam sauce can go from delicious to inedible in a matter of minutes. For the most part, this means starting seafood sauces at the same time the pasta goes into the boiling water. If the sauce is ready before the pasta, turn off the heat and cover the pan. Do not simmer seafood sauces over low heat. The heat from the drained pasta will warm seafood sauces if necessary.

The second important issue is moisture. Shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams are unappetizing if too dry and will not coat pasta properly. In the case of clams and mussels, the natural juices make the ideal medium for a sauce. Shrimp and scallops will need a fair amount of olive oil, wine, cream, or tomatoes to keep them saucy. Reserving some of the pasta cooking water is also a good idea.

When serving seafood pasta sauces, Italians do not pass grated cheese at the table. The Italians feel that the rich, buttery flavor of cheese clashes with the bright, briny flavor of seafood.

For the most part, we agree with the Italian sentiment. If you would like to add something to seafood pastas at the table, try toasted bread crumbs. They add a pleasing crunch and nutty flavor. Any time you have some stale bread on hand, turn it into crumbs (either by hand or in a food processor) and then freeze the crumbs in an airtight container. When needed, simply toast the crumbs in a dry skillet for an instant flavor boost for seafood pasta.

Some cleaning tips for seafood. Clams and mussels need to be scrubbed with a stiff brush to remove any caked-on mud or sand. Also, pull out any weedy "beards" protruding from the mussels. Scallops have a small, rough-texture, crescent-shaped muscle that attaches the scallop to the shell. This tendon on the side of the scallop can toughen when cooked and should be peeled off when preparing scallops.