Pâtes aux fruits de mer - serves 2 hungry people

• 400g mixed packet of seafood
• 2 shallots finely diced (not green spring onions)
  
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 300ml Dry White Wine
  
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbs fresh basil
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 stock cube (garlic & onion or vegetable)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 500mL tomato puree
• 1/4 tsp freshly minced chilli
• Freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese.
  
• PASTA - Spagetti is a favourite of mine for this dish. (250g)
  

This recipe takes a while to cook properly ... you can always do an express method if you like ... like plonk everything together in a pressure cooker and voila in 20 minutes the sauce is done!

1. In a medium sized saucepan, non stick (scanpan is great) place the heat to HIGH and add the seafood, shallots and garlic. Stir through to hear some nice sizzling and the aromas of the ingredients hit you in the nose.
2. Add the white wine ... in effect, the white wine should nearly cover the seafood mix, and it is used to poach the seafood, onion and garlic mixture. Bring to boil then simmer for 5 minutes. This will allow the seafood to cook but to absorb the wine's flavour.
3. This is the easy part: Add all the other ingredients in no particular order.
   
4. Stir and bring back to the boil.
5. YES the mixture should be very 'watery', there is a lot of liquid involved. This is where patience is required and you will be rewarded with a fine dish at the end.
6. Simmer the sauce until it reduces almost in Half, you want a nice sauce that will coat your pasta, not run through and be a menace.
   
7. COOK your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, addition of oil will help reduce the boiling over of the water. Cook as per the instructions on the packet for AL-DENTE.
   
8. Place the portion of pasta into the bowl, then top with the sauce and a generous serving of Fresh parmesan cheese.
9. SERVE with fresh crusty bread, italian or french. Its a must for slurping up the juices once the pasta is all gone.

ENJOY YOUR MEAL !!

The flavour will be better IF you cook it, then let it cool down and then reheat it. If you do this, make sure you cool it down quickly, in a large open bowl stood in iced water: Then when you eat it, that night OR the next day ... Make sure the sauce is reheated to Piping hot and quikly.
(End of Food Hygiene Handling Lecture)

* * You could cook this sauce up and ix through large pasta shells. Place in a deep oven proof dish, top with a nice gratin (cheese bechamel sauce) topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan. Bake in a moderate oven for about 25 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown colour.