Pan Seared Scallops in Lemon Caper Sauce
D and I love to cook together but we rarely get the opportunity. We have a wonderful division of tasks. D takes care of shoveling, laundry and garbage detail and I ensure the house is tidy and that supper is waiting for him when he is home from work. Sounds pretty tradition doesn’t it? It is and we love it this way.
We adore pan seared scallops and I was shocked to find such huge ones on for 30% off at Superstore (by the way…have you seen their fabulous new commercial?) We decided to go to a move Friday evening and have a popcorn supper so the scallops were waiting for us at the end of a busy Saturday. We had a number of plant based meals that week so I didn’t feel bad at serving an entrée with no veggies.
This is how we decided that it was supper time: D said “I am thirsty. I am going to pour us a glass of wine. Since we are wine-equipped why don’t we start on supper?”
We divided the tasks into two and I prepared the pasta portion while he seared the scallops. The dish was a keeper but so filling, we each left scallops and pasta in our bowl to have during the 3rd period of the Jet’s game when we typically get peckish.
- 1 lb jumbo scallops
- grinder of rock salt
- 2 T ish olive oil
- 3 T ish butter
- freshly ground pepper
- 225 g spaghettini (we like the President's Choice brand in the white box)
- 1 T minced garlic
- ½ c sauvignon blanc wine
- 1 c chicken broth42 T lemon juice2 T capers
- 1 T parsley (I was out of fresh and used dry)
- 1 c chopped roma tomatoes
- ¼ c ish parmesan
- Scallops:
- Dry scallops really well with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet over high heat until the oil begins to slightly smoke.
- Place scallops with tongs into pan without crowding.
- Cook the scallops without moving them about 3 min.
- Add 1 T butter to pan, turn the scallops and brown on the second side about 90 sec.
- Turn off heat and hold.
- Pasta:
- Prepare pasta according to package directions.
- Select another pan and cook garlic on medium heat in 1 T butter, about 1 min.
- Increase heat and add wine.
- Cook until wine is reduced by half about 3 mins.
- Add chicken stock, lemon juice, capers and increase heat again. Cook until sauce is reduced to half (approximately 8-10 minutes).
- Turn off heat and another 1 T of butter.
- Drain pasta and add to sauce.
- Add parsley and tomatoes and toss all.
- Place scallops on pasta and top with grated parmesan.
D at the stove in Charlottetown.
We had not had scallops since our sojourn to PEI last September. Coincidentally, that evening we arranged a meet up with those friends our first night on Isla Mujeres where alas, there are no scallops.
D poured another glass of wine and we sat down to our HNIC pre-game dinner.
Kath’s quote: “Close your eyes,” he had said to her. “Food demands complete submission.” And then he placed a perfect scallop in her mouth. “Do you taste the sea?” Delphine did. Not just the salt of the sea but the very air of the moment that the shell was pulled from the sand. “A storm, perhaps. There is a dark edge to the sweetness of the meat.” ― White Truffles in Winter Just reserved it on line from my library. I LOVE culinary fiction!
Love never fails.
MMMMMM, I am going to make this! Looks delish!