A sweet boy I know delivered fresh Alaskan scallops to my
door & I was thrilled because I have wanted to try this scallop linguine
recipe for a while now.
In my opinion, you really don’t have to do much to scallops
since they are pretty rich & delicious on their own- which is why I felt that the below
recipe seemed perfect (and it was).
The combination of texture & flavors within this dish
were right on. The only thing I would do differently next time (if I were in
the mood for something a tad heartier) is add ¾ cup browned pancetta to the
mix.
Linguine with
Scallops
Serves 4
½ cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 Tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces linguine (3/4 box)
1 cup frozen peas
16 sea scallops (about 1/12 pounds), patted dry
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 Tablespoons Kosher salt & pepper to taste
Heat oven to 350F. On
a rimmed baking sheet, toss the bread crumbs with lemon zest and 1 tablespoon
of the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt & pepper. Bake, tossing once, until golden, 6 to 8
minutes; let cool.
Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to the package
directions, adding the peas during the last minute of cooking. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water &
drain the pasta; reserve the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large
nonstick skillet over medium- high heat.
Season the scallops with ½ teaspoon each salt & pepper and cook
until golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn and cook until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Wipe out the pasta pot and cook the butter over medium- high
heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pasta and peas; scallops, tarragon, ½
teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup of reserved cooking water and toss to coat (add more
cooking water if the pasts seems dry).
Serve sprinkled with the toasted bread crumbs.
Enjoy!
*Real Simple Magazine September 2011
