1. Seafood -- First thing to do is prepare your seafood. Now my seafood counter sells clams or mussels that are very clean, but I still come home and rinse them well. I put mine in a colander in a bowl or water, so any sand debris will sink to the bottom. and make sure they are all closed. If they aren't -- tap them a couple of times and they should close up; if not, toss them. Shrimp, peel, devein and remove the tails if you want. Scallops, I set on a paper towel to dry, especially if they were frozen once. And finally if using crab, check for any shells and leave in nice large pieces. I love the crab, but that is optional. I can fine a couple of good canned brands but also fresh, just depends what you like. 2. Sauce -- Start the sauce first as the seafood will be added in at the end and it doesn't take long. I use a very large saute pan as you will be adding the pasta to this pan. Add the olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add in the onion, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Saute 2-3 minutes until the onions are slightly tender. Then add in the white wine to deglaze the pan and cook just a minute. Then add in the tomato paste (start with 1 teaspoon), sundried tomatoes and vegetable broth (start with 1/2 cup) and let it simmer about 4-5 minutes. 3. Pasta -- Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain well and set to the side to keep warm while you finish the seafood. 4. Seafood -- Check your broth to see if you want to add that additional 1 teaspoon of tomato paste. Then add the mussels to the pot along with the cherry tomatoes. Cover and simmer about 4 minutes until the mussels start to open. Then add in the scallops and shrimp; and crab meat (if you decide to use that) and stir well to make sure every thing is mixed in with the broth. If you want a little more broth, add the remaining 1/2 cup at this time. Cover again and cook 3-4 minutes, just until the shrimp turn pink and just start to curl, and the mussels are open. 5. Finish -- Toss the pasta into the pan with the seafood along with the parsley and basil and season with salt and pepper. Go easy with the salt as the broth and seafood are salty. Toss everything well. Garnish with a drizzle of good olive oil. Parmesan is another garnish if you like. Some people like parmesan with seafood, others don't. Just a personal preference. 6. Serve -- There will be a nice broth, so I serve this in bowls along with crunchy bread to soak up some of the juice. Add a nice salad for a wonderful dinner. ENJOY! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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