When I was a little girl, most of the city of New Orleans ate seafood on Fridays. The old folks use to say we eat nothing that walked the land on Fridays, so the smell fresh seafood frying, boiling, and grilling would light up blocks for miles around the different wards, projects, and outskirts of the 504.
My grandma was really good at keeping our seafood meals tasty and different. She made all kinds of rouxs (gravy) and sauces that made our seafood go perfect with rice, potatoes, or pasta. I paid attention when I was in Mamaw’s kitchen, and her quick Garlic Parmesan Sauce over Spaghetti was always one of my favorites.
She would pan sear shrimp whenever she made the sauce, but today I’ll be adding my twist by serving it with fried fish and shrimp.I’ve remixed many of my grandma’s recipes, but I think this is one that she would really be proud of.
She was passionate about us knowing how to good, having a good work ethic, and not being no one’s fool. I remember helping her in the kitchen, and while giving instructions, she was also lacing me with her words
of wisdom, as we poured our love and hearts into the meals we prepared. She’d say, “A closed mouth don’t get fed. A lazy ass dont get paid, and a Man knows what his woman needs. Y’all young girls always talkin’ ’bout good d*ck….Well, baby, good d*ck help you with your bills and make ya leg shake”!”
I used to laugh so hard, all the while I was learning to cook and collecting life jewels. So live from my kitchen, we gon’ get this T.G.I.F. meal poppin’, baby. Let all your peeps know that you about to whip up a Fried Fish and Shrimp Pasta in a delicious garlic parmesan sauce.
Make sure you play my music below while you cook, because Jamming is essential when you’re at the stove. Follow me on Twitter (@TheRealMiaX), and join my Twitter squad #TeamWhipDemPots, where we cook, twitpic our meals, and inspire.
AUDIO: “Betty Rocker” – Mia X
Mama Mia X’s T.G.I.F. Fried Fish & Shrimp Pasta
Make Your Groceries (Ingredients):
Serves 6
1 12oz pk of Thin Spaghetti
1lb medium shrimp cleaned and deveined
4 catfish or fish filets of your choice, cut into strips of nuggets
1 egg, beaten
4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup of milk
1/3 pasta water
1/2 cup of whipping cream
4 oz of soft Philly cream cheese
3 Tbsp of fresh parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp of dry grated parmesan
3 Tbsp of butter
1/3 cup of flour
1 cup of Zatarains crispy southern style seasoned fish fry
2 Tbsp of salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Creole seasoning (I use Zatarains)
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper
3 cups of vegetable oil
dry or fresh parsley
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 2 Tbsp of salt to a boil. Add your spaghetti and let cook for about 11 minutes.
After pasta is tender, drain but Do Not Rinse and save 1/3 cup of your pasta water. Once pasta is drained, place it back into your pot.
Heat your oil on medium. In a bowl, add milk to your beaten egg and dip your shrimp, then place them into the flour, then the fish fry.
You can either do this with bowls or freezer bags. Make sure the shrimp is coated with flour and fish fry. Fry for about 8 minutes.
Place your fish into the fish fry then fry about 10-12 minutes. In a pan, add 3 Tbsp of butter and saute your chopped garlic. Add your whipping cream, pasta water, soft cream cheese, and fresh and dry parmesan cheese. Wisk over a medium low heat until smooth.
Pour your sauce over spaghetti, add your crushed red pepper, garlic powder pepper, and creole seasoning, and mix evenly so that all of the spaghetti has sauce. Plate your pasta and top with your fried seafood. Garnish with fresh or dry parsley, and you can also add more salt or creole seasoning according to taste. This dish works well with a garden or green salad, or asparagus, and garlic bread or dinner rolls.
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