#chef tips

Calling all wine lovers. Barilla Executive Chef Lorenzo Boni recently shared his tips for cooking with wine with Business INSIDER.

Cooking with seafood can be intimidating, but these simple tips from Barilla  Executive Chef Lorenzo Boniwill have you serving up an elegant and effortless seafood pasta dinner like a pro in no time.

  Remember, with seafood, less is more. Buy good-quality, fresh fish and let it shine—don’t overload it with too many other ingredients. And, to keep it nice and moist, be careful to never overcook seafood. 

Always sauté or steam shellfish. In the case of clams, mussels or any seafood in a shell, sauté or steam them on the side and then fold them in with your other ingredients at the last minute to make sure no sand gets in your sauce.

Add a dash of white wine. Adding a  bit of dry, white wine can enlighten and enhance the flavor of seafood. And,  using extra-virgin olive oil is a better choice as a “fat” than heavier butter,  which tends to flatten the delicate flavor of seafood.

Don’t overcook seafood. As previously mentioned, don’t overcook seafood. Shellfish tend to get, not only dry, but also rubbery and chewy when overcooked. With white flash fish, it is always best to dice it before cooking it to preserve the integrity of the shape.

Always keep the juice. Seafood such as clams and mussels usually produce juices as they cook. Let that juice deposit and then filter it before adding it to your sauce.

Skip the cheese. You want to highlight the simple, delicate flavor of seafood—the cheese will only overpower it.

Barilla Executive Chef Lorenzo BonigivesChicago Food Magazine contributor Melissa Lindemann a crash course in cooking pasta.

Note: The views expressed in the linked article are based on Melissa Lindemann’s experience at Barilla HQ and her cooking lesson with Chef Lorenzo. They do not constitute an endorsement of Barilla products by Chicago Food Magazine.