Somewhere along the way, I became interested in the iconic Old Bay Seasoning. It seemed I was forever looking for that special something that would elevate seafood dishes from basic to ‘wow’ that’s good! Once I tried Old Bay seasoning it became a pantry staple for me.
Old Bay seasoning is a blend of herbs and spices that is currently marketed by McCormick & Company, and produced in Maryland, USA. It is produced in the Chesapeake Bay area where it was developed by German immigrant Gustav Brunn in the 1940s, and where the seasoning is very popular to this day. At that time, crabs were so plentiful that bars in Baltimore, Maryland offered them free and seasonings like Old Bay were created to encourage patrons to purchase more beverages.
Old Bay Seasoning is named after the Old Bay Line, a passenger ship line that sailed the waters of the Chesapeake Bay from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia, in the early 1900s. Gustav Brunn’s company became the Old Bay Company, producing crab seasonings in the unique yellow can container until the company was purchased by McCormick & Co around 1990.
Old Bay is known for its savory, aromatic, quite salty, and reasonably spicy flavor. The presence of warm, slightly sweet spices balanced by the fairly modest amount of heat from red pepper and dry mustard harmonizes beautifully with the distinct flavor of celery seed.
While it was initially marketed as a seasoning for seafood, specifically crab, Old Bay has since become a versatile ingredient in a wide range of dishes, including poultry, meats, vegetables, soups, stews, and snacks. It adds depth of flavor and a touch of nostalgia to recipes, evoking memories of summertime seafood boils. Its versatility has made it a staple in kitchens worldwide.
It definitely adds some flavor to these stuffed shells I’m making today.
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SHELLS
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- 16 jumbo pasta shells, cooked & drained
- 4 green onions, finely chopped - more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 2 Tbsp butter,
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 227 ml clam juice
- 250 gm bay scallops
- 250 gm small shrimp, peeled & deveined/without tails
- 170 gm white crab meat
- 1 cup butter,
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning, divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 50 gm grated parmesan cheese, divided
Ingredients
Pasta
Filling
Sauce
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- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Melt 2 Tbsp butter and oil in a large skillet over med-low heat and sauté onions until tender. Stir in the clam juice and chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, add in the shrimp, scallops, crab meat & 1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning. Return to a boil, then reduce heat & let simmer for 4-5 minutes until the seafood is cooked through (shrimp is pink & scallops opaque). Drain the seafood, reserving the liquid. Set aside.
- Set a large saucepan over med-low heat & melt the remaining 1 cup butter. Stir in the flour & mix until smooth. Gradually add in the milk & reserved liquid while continuously stirring. Sprinkle in 1 tsp of the seasoning. Bring the sauce to a boil & cook, continuing to stir, for about 2 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from the heat; stir in cream and half of the cheese. Stir 3/4 cup white sauce into the seafood mixture.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Drain and rinse pasta. Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in a 13x9-in. baking dish. Fill each of the shells with the seafood mixture & place in rows over the sauce. Top with remaining sauce & cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining seafood seasoning.
- Bake, uncovered, until golden brown & bubbling, about 30 minutes. If desired, top with additional chopped green onions.