Scallop Pasta Delight (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Sea scallops with garlic and herbs
01 -
650 g of sea scallops (around 16 large ones), fresh or frozen, with or without roe (see notes)
02 -
Salt and pepper
03 -
2 cloves of garlic, minced
04 -
4 tablespoons of high-quality olive oil, or a mix of olive oil and butter
05 -
2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped
→ The pasta
06 -
250 to 450 g of your favorite pasta (refer to notes for ideas)
07 -
Coarse salt, or regular table salt
# Instructions:
01 -
Get a big pot of water boiling. Toss in some salt. A simple rule of thumb is 1 liter of water and 10 g of coarse salt for every 100 g of pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook it following the packet's instructions, roughly 12 minutes. When it's ready, save 1 cup (250 ml) of the starchy cooking water, then drain the rest.
02 -
While the pasta cooks, pat the scallops dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Place the scallops into the hot pan, leaving a little space (about 2.5 cm) between each one to avoid crowding. If needed, cook them in batches. Let them brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then flip. If they stick, let them cook a few seconds longer before flipping. Once done on both sides, remove them from the pan and keep them aside.
03 -
In the same pan, turn the heat down to low. Add the remaining olive oil or butter, followed by the minced garlic. Stir gently as it cooks for about 1 minute. Then toss in the parsley and keep stirring for another minute.
04 -
Put the scallops back into the skillet. Stir so they soak up the garlic and parsley flavors. Add the pasta along with a splash of the starchy water (about 1/4 cup). Mix just enough to warm everything through. If it seems dry, add a bit more of the reserved cooking water.
# Notes:
01 -
SCALLOPS: Plan on serving 4 large scallops per person. Whether or not to include the roe is up to your liking. In France, people often prefer scallops with roe, while in the USA, scallops are usually sold without it. If the scallops are extra large, feel free to slice them in half. To defrost scallops, you can 1) put them in a bowl and cover with cold water; they'll thaw in about 10 minutes, depending on size. Change the water a few times to speed up the process. Or 2) pull them out of the freezer and leave them in the fridge for several hours or overnight. PASTA: Use as much or as little pasta as suits your taste. Longer shapes like fettuccine, tagliatelle, linguine, or spaghetti work best. EXTRAS: Toss in 250 g of cherry tomatoes (add them after the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes before returning the scallops to the pan) for added flavor.