Saffron pasta with creamy seafood sauce and Viognier

This is an easy but elegant supper to whip up last minute. Serve with Excelsior Viognier

Why is this the right wine choice? Viognier is very good with fish and seafood in creamy sauces, particularly when flavoured with saffron. Beware though, it’s unhappy with strongly flavoured fish so avoid mackerel, snoek, sardines and marlin.

To serve 2 you will need: 

• Spaghetti for two (About 200g…depending on how hungry you are!)
• A quarter of a teaspoon of saffron strands
• 200g of peeled cooked prawns
• 100g of squid sliced unto 1cm rings
• 12 mussels, scrubbed and ‘debearded’
• 200ml of thick single cream
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 1 knob of butter
• 1 tsp of olive oil
• A quarter tsp of cayenne pepper
• 1tsp of lemon juice
• 250ml white wine
• Parsley to dress 

Directions 

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the saffron and the spaghetti and follow the manufacturers instructions for cooking time (about 12 minutes).
2. Put a saucepan over a low to medium heat and melt the butter and olive oil (the oil stops the butter burning).
3. Add the garlic, cayenne pepper and lemon juice and stir.
4. Add the wine and, when it starts to simmer, pop in the muscles – discard any that don’t open within 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the cream and stir until it starts to thicken. Then add the prawns and squid. Cook for a further 2 minutes to let the prawns heat through and cook the squid.
6. Season to taste add a sprinkle of parsley.
7. Fresh crusty bread on the side is good with this and a crunchy green salad, with a lemon dressing.
8. Enjoy with a glass of Excelsior Viognier.

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