For a romantic, decadent, yet not too heavy, yummy meal to share with your person (and have leftovers) or your closest friends (serves 4)…this recipe truly knocks it out of the ballpark!
If you are a pasta lover, like me, and a shellfish lover, like me..LOL…I know it’s not all about me (really?), but this recipe is…you will LOVE this so much that you will want to make it over and over and make little changes and add some greens or not…I hope you will.
At any rate, here is the yummiest shellfish pasta dish I have had for a LONG time…can’t wait to make it again!
Serve some sautéed asparagus, French green beans, broccoli or spinach on the side. You can never have too many veggies, right?
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 lb+ jumbo sea scallops
2 TBS olive oil
3 TBS butter, divided
8 oz angel hair pasta (for GF: brown rice, quinoa, chickpea, etc.)
3 tsp garlic, minced (heaping)
4 oz full-bodied Chardonnay (recommended) or Sauvignon Blanc wine
8 oz seafood cooking stock
1 lemon, zested
3 TBS lemon juice, fresh squeezed
3 TBS capers, drained
2-3 TBS Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 c grape tomatoes, assorted, sliced in half
Red pepper flakes, optional
DIRECTIONS:
1. Rinse scallops and pat dry. Season both sides with salt.
2. Using a stainless-steel pan, heat olive oil until it is very hot and starts to smoke,
3. Add scallops and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add 1 TBS butter and flip the scallops, continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
5. Remove scallops and cover tightly to keep warm.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
7. Using the same pan the scallops cooked in, heat pan and add 1 TBS butter and the minced garlic. Stir and cook for ~1 minute until fragrant.
8. Increase the heat and add the wine. Cook for ~3 minutes to reduce wine and cook out the alcohol.
9. Add the seafood broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, and capers. Turn heat to high and cook for ~5-8 minutes to reduce sauce.
10. Turn off heat, add the final 1 TBS of butter and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Cook the angel hair pasta for ~4-5 minutes until al dente. Drain and add to the lemon-caper sauce.
12. Add chopped parsley and sliced tomatoes and mix well. Taste, and if needed, season with salt and pepper.
13. Divide pasta into individual serving bowls and top with the sauteed scallops and red bell pepper flakes, to taste.
Enjoy!