One Pot Main Courses: Marinara Mix

One Pot Main Courses

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The first time I was in Italy, I remember arriving late in a southern city and, being rather hungry, ordered a Pizza Marinara expecting to get what I would have got at home in Australia, a pizza topped with a variety of seafood. Instead, I was served a pizza bearing nothing more than tomato sauce and herbs. I was to learn that in Italy ‘marinara’ means ‘sailor or fisherman style’, and I guess fishermen were too poor to eat their own catch.

In the United States, Marinara Sauce is a basic tomato pasta sauce, what we in Australia would call a Napolitana Sauce. However, this entry has nothing to do with tomato sauce.

risotto_marinaraThe Marinara Mix these recipes are designed for is a mixture of several types of seafood, including diced fish, crustaceans and shellfish. You’ll find a range of different combinations of seafood, especially as most fish shops make their own. Marinara Mix is also available in some supermarkets either frozen or from the deli. However, it’s worthwhile selecting the better-quality mix from the fish shop. These recipes are also suitable for prawns, calamari or scallops on their own.

As with fish, crustaceans and shellfish are an excellent low-fat source of high-quality protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and Vitamin B12, all of which are vital to recovery and ongoing health.

The following recipes are designed to be made with a small portion (100–125gm) of Marinara Mix with all other ingredients selected from Pantry Essentials. I usually freeze my marinara mix in small portions in resealable snack bags. In such small portions, it can be quickly thawed by dunking the packet in hot water, and, if it’s a consideration for you, the snack bags can be washed and reused.

If you prefer fish fillets, you’ll find a range of recipes for them in the entry Something Fishy.

 

Recipes:

Marinara in Rosso

Marinara in Bianco

Risotto Marinara

Zuppa Marinara

Stir Fried Seafood

Seafood Curry

Seafood Noodle Soup

Seafood Salad

 

Marinara in Rosso

  • 100–125gm marinara mix
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup pasta
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Dried onion, garlic granules, parsley and basil

 

  1. Place diced tomatoes in small saucepan with herbs and spices and bring to the boil
  2. Simmer for 3–5 minutes
  3. Add ½ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  4. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, adding water if required
  5. Add marinara mix with lemon juice and simmer for a further 5 minutes

 

Marinara in Bianco

  • 100–125gm marinara mix
  • ½ cup pasta
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice (or white wine)
  • Garlic paste and chilli (optional)
  • Pepper and parsley
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Boil pasta until al dente, drain and set aside
  2. Pour a generous layer of olive oil into a small saucepan and sauté garlic and chilli (optional)
  3. Add lemon juice and stir through
  4. Add marinara mix with pepper and sauté until cooked (approx. 5 minutes)
  5. Add pasta and stir through
  6. Sprinkle with parsley

 

Risotto Marinara

  • 100–125gm marinara mix
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¼ cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Pepper and paprika
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with pepper and paprika
  2. Add peas and sauté
  3. Add rice and sauté until translucent
  4. Add 2/3 cup boiling water with chicken stock powder and simmer for 10 minutes
  5. Stir through marinara mix with lemon juice and simmer for a further 5 minutes

 

Zuppa Marinara

  • 100–125gm marinara mix
  • ½ cup canned potatoes, chopped
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, pepper, chilli or paprika (optional)
  • Basil and parsley
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Sauté onion with garlic, pepper and chilli (optional)
  2. Add chopped potatoes and sauté
  3. Add diced tomatoes with stock powder, basil and parsley with ½ cup boiling water
  4. Stir in lemon juice
  5. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5–10 minutes
  6. Add marinara mix and simmer for a further 5 minutes
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variations:

  • substitute the poaching broth from Poached Fish with New Potatoes for the chicken stock powder and water and reduce lemon juice to 1 tbsp.
  • substitute liquid chicken or vegetable stock (or fish stock) for the stock powder and water

 

Stir Fried Seafood

  • 100–125gm marinara mix
  • ¾ cup sliced carrot, red capsicum and/or celery
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic granules and ginger
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • ½ tsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. cornflour
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Whisk chicken stock powder, soy sauce, lemon juice and cornflour into ¼ cup cold water
  2. Stir fry vegetables with ginger and garlic
  3. Add chopped onion and stir fry
  4. Add marinara mix and stir fry until just beginning to cook
  5. Add water mixture and stir fry until sauce thickens

Variation: substitute (frozen) stir fry mix for the carrot, capsicum and celery

 

Seafood Curry

  • 100–125gm marinara mix
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 single-serve microwave rice
  • Garlic and chilli (optional)
  • Mild curry powder and ginger
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Place onion with garlic, chilli (optional), spices, tomato paste and 1 tbsp. canola oil in the small cup of a bullet blender and process to form a paste
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté paste using a little extra canola oil if required
  3. Add coconut milk, gently bring to the boil and add lemon juice
  4. Simmer gently for 10 minutes adding a little water if required
  5. Add marinara mix and simmer for a further 5 minutes
  6. Serve on rice microwaved as per the instructions

Variation: for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with ½ cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

 

Seafood Noodle Soup

  • 100–125gm marinara mix
  • 1 portion instant noodles
  • ½ cup coleslaw mix
  • 1½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Dried onion and garlic granules
  • Ginger and coriander

 

  1. Bring 1½ cups water to the boil in a saucepan with chicken stock powder, soy sauce, lemon juice and spices
  2. Add noddles, simmer for 2–3 minutes and tease to loosen
  3. Add coleslaw mix
  4. Add marinara mix and simmer for a further 5 minutes

Variations:

  • substitute the poaching broth from Poached Fish with New Potatoes for the chicken stock powder, water and lemon juice
  • substitute liquid chicken or vegetable stock (or fish stock) for the stock powder and water
  • substitute spinach leaves, lettuce, cabbage or bok choy for the coleslaw mix

 

Seafood Salad

  • 100–125gm marinara mix
  • ½ cup canned potatoes, halved
  • ½ cup coleslaw mix (or shredded lettuce)
  • 1–2 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. tomato paste (or soy sauce)
  • Garlic granules and parsley

 

  1. Bring 1 cup water to the boil in a small saucepan and add marinara mix
  2. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, drain immediately and rinse under cold water to cool
  3. Place potatoes and coleslaw mix in a 1 litre bowl
  4. Whisk lemon juice, tomato paste and garlic granules into mayonnaise
  5. Stir marinara mix into vegetables with mayonnaise dressing
  6. Sprinkle with parsley
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