Seared Scallop Pasta With Burst Tomatoes And Herbs Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
• Wipe out the pot and heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium. Add the shallots and cook until they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to burst, 5 to 7 minutes. Add about 1/3 cup reserved pasta water, and press the tomatoes gently with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon to get them nice and jammy. Stir in the garlic and red-pepper flakes, if using, and cook, allowing the sauce to simmer, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Season the scallops well on both sides with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over high. When the oil shimmers, add the scallops, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, and cook until golden brown and crisp, flipping once, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Add the pasta, 1 1/2 cups herbs and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to the pot with the tomatoes and toss to coat, adding additional pasta water if needed. Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and top with scallops. Garnish with additional herbs and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the angel hair pasta, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant and softened, about 1 minute. Slice any scallops over 3/4-inch thick in half so they'll cook evenly; stir scallops, basil, and parsley into the skillet. Cook and gently stir just until scallops feel slightly firm when pressed with a finger, 2 to 3 minutes. Scallops will become tough and chewy if overcooked. Stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and black pepper. Pour in cream if you like a thicker sauce. Bring the mixture just to a bare simmer.
• Serve over hot angel hair pasta; sprinkle to taste with Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-low and add the butter to melt. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
• Add the wine and cook until about half the liquid has evaporated.
• Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes have released their juices and almost completely collapsed. Transfer the tomato mixture to a small dish (use a rubber spatula to get every last bit of the sauce!), then carefully wipe out the pan with a damp paper towel.
• Pat the scallops dry. Add the grapeseed oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the oil is very hot, add half the scallops, spacing them evenly in the pan, and season with kosher salt. Cook without moving for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook for 1 more minute. Don't overcook! Transfer the scallops to a plate and repeat with the remaining scallops, adding more oil if necessary.
• Drain any remaining oil and take the skillet off the heat. Return the tomatoes and their juices to the skillet and squeeze in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Return the scallops to the skillet, nestling them into the tomatoes. Top with the zest of both lemon halves, julienned basil and mint, and a generous sprinkle of coarse sea salt, and serve immediately.