Everyone should have such a dilemma: Recently, I found myself with a large cache of lovely jumbo dry-packed sea scallops leftover in my freezer as I was trying to empty my icebox before our recent move. Since my daughter lives on the other end of the county, and her children don’t like seafood, and I wasn’t sure about any of my neighbors since I didn’t know their food preferences, it was up to us to use them. I was not about to let such a luxury go to waste.
One of the lovely things about scallops is that they take no time at all to cook, and time was of the essence since the movers were due to come at 7 a.m. the following morning, and I still had a lot of packing to do that night.
I made my way through packing boxes and garbage bags full of linens into the kitchen at 6 p.m., and a sumptuous yet simple supper was ready by 6:45.
It was, perhaps, a little too fancy for a weeknight supper, but then again, who would want beautiful scallops to go to waste? Certainly not me when they make such an easy dish, yet deliciously full of fresh flavors and textures.
A word to the wise: The “U” measure on scallops is the number of units that make up a pound. U-10 are the jumbo size that most restaurants use, and I always find mine at Don’s Meat Shop in Hixson. And, if you can, buy “dry-packed” scallops that have not been sprayed with preservatives. Otherwise, they won’t sear properly and will shed their precious juices that contain all those wonderful flavors.
Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon-Scallion Capellini
Let the scallops sit for a few minutes at room temperature and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels. Bring four quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat. Add enough butter to a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick pan to barely film the bottom. Put the pan over medium heat and let it get nice and hot.
Put the scallops in the pan and cook until their bottoms are well-seared and brown, about two minutes. Turn, sprinkle with several liberal grindings of pepper, and cook until the second side is nicely browned and the scallops are done to your taste, about two or three minutes longer or until done to your liking.
While the scallops cook, stir a handful of salt into the boiling water and then stir in the capellini. Cook until it is al dentē, starting to check it after about two minutes.
Drain pasta, reserving a few spoonfuls of the cooking water, and return it to the hot pot. Add the butter in bits and toss until it is creamy and coating the pasta nicely. Add a spoonful or so of water if the “sauce” is not creamy enough. Squeeze in lemon juice from half lemon, to taste, and immediately add the scallions, tossing well. The heat of the pasta will cook them slightly.
Season pasta with a few liberal grindings of pepper and add a dusting of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
When the scallops are done, place them on two plates, divide the pasta and lemon wedges among the plates, and serve immediately.
One of the lovely things about scallops is that they take no time at all to cook, and time was of the essence since the movers were due to come at 7 a.m. the following morning, and I still had a lot of packing to do that night.
I made my way through packing boxes and garbage bags full of linens into the kitchen at 6 p.m., and a sumptuous yet simple supper was ready by 6:45.
It was, perhaps, a little too fancy for a weeknight supper, but then again, who would want beautiful scallops to go to waste? Certainly not me when they make such an easy dish, yet deliciously full of fresh flavors and textures.
A word to the wise: The “U” measure on scallops is the number of units that make up a pound. U-10 are the jumbo size that most restaurants use, and I always find mine at Don’s Meat Shop in Hixson. And, if you can, buy “dry-packed” scallops that have not been sprayed with preservatives. Otherwise, they won’t sear properly and will shed their precious juices that contain all those wonderful flavors.
Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon-Scallion Capellini
- 8-12 large dry-packed scallops
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 ounces capellini (angel hair) pasta
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 1 lemon, one half left whole and the
- other cut into wedges
- 2 small, thin scallions, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2-3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional
Let the scallops sit for a few minutes at room temperature and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels. Bring four quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat. Add enough butter to a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick pan to barely film the bottom. Put the pan over medium heat and let it get nice and hot.
Put the scallops in the pan and cook until their bottoms are well-seared and brown, about two minutes. Turn, sprinkle with several liberal grindings of pepper, and cook until the second side is nicely browned and the scallops are done to your taste, about two or three minutes longer or until done to your liking.
While the scallops cook, stir a handful of salt into the boiling water and then stir in the capellini. Cook until it is al dentē, starting to check it after about two minutes.
Drain pasta, reserving a few spoonfuls of the cooking water, and return it to the hot pot. Add the butter in bits and toss until it is creamy and coating the pasta nicely. Add a spoonful or so of water if the “sauce” is not creamy enough. Squeeze in lemon juice from half lemon, to taste, and immediately add the scallions, tossing well. The heat of the pasta will cook them slightly.
Season pasta with a few liberal grindings of pepper and add a dusting of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
When the scallops are done, place them on two plates, divide the pasta and lemon wedges among the plates, and serve immediately.
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