Tag Archives: sea scallops

Seafood Fra Diavolo

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In this version from America’s Test Kitchen, we made a few changes based on what we had on hand, or preferred to use. Since Yours Truly doesn’t like mussels, but we had a couple of recently purchased lobster tails in the freezer, they became the star of the show.

In addition, instead of a 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, we used a quart of our homemade marinara sauce. Otherwise we finished the recipe as written. And it was amazing!

We made it for just the two of us with enough leftovers for two more servings, although we cooked only two lobster tails the night of the dinner. For leftovers, you can either steam two more tails or forego them altogether. If serving four guests at once, of course use all four lobster tails.

This ever-popular Italian American restaurant classic consists of an abundant amount of mixed seafood (shrimp, scallops, and lobster tails in our version) and pasta tossed in a rich, homemade marinara sauce. To make the recipe doable at home, most of the ingredients cook in the same pot, and the pasta gets just enough flavorful liquid to hydrate and fully soften. Not only does this method simplify cleanup, but it also ensures that every element of the dish is infused with fresh seafood flavor.

We started by making a potent mix of garlic, white wine, tomato paste, and fiery red pepper flakes, making a flavorful cooking liquid as a base for the sauce. After adding a quart of our homemade marinara sauce and a bottle of clean-tasting, briny clam juice (to enhance the seafood presence in the sauce), we brought the liquid to a boil, and added the linguine to cook through and soak up the flavors of the sauce.

Once the pasta was nearly cooked through, we tossed in the quick-cooking shrimp and scallops, and after just a few minutes, they were gently cooked through to perfection. For a bright, spicy finish we stirred in the chopped pickled cherry peppers and fresh parsley, then topped our plates with a steamed lobster tail and a swirl of good extra-virgin olive oil.

NOTES: If you’re spice-averse, use a lesser amount of pepper flakes and cherry peppers. Different brands of linguine will cook at different rates and absorb different amounts of liquid; you may not need to add any hot water in Step 5, but having some on hand provides insurance against the pasta being too dry.

Seafood Fra Diavolo

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 12-oz. extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
  • 12-oz. large sea scallops, tendons removed, cut in half horizontally
  • 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
  • 7 garlic cloves, minced, divided
  • ¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
  • 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed
  • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1–1½ tsp.red pepper flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 4 lobster tails
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes; OR 1 qt. of homamade marina sauce
  • 1 (8-oz.) bottle clam juice
  • 12-oz. linguine
  • Hot water
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1–2 Tbsp. chopped jarred hot cherry peppers, plus 1 Tbsp. brine

Directions

  1. Toss shrimp and scallops with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Combine anchovies, remaining ¼ cup oil, and remaining garlic in large Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until garlic is just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes, breaking up anchovies with wooden spoon.
  3. Add tomato paste, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste begins to darken, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, cover and cook, stirring pot occasionally, for about 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Add canned tomatoes and their juice (or homemade marinara), clam juice, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to pot. Using a potato masher, mash tomatoes in pot until coarsely pureed. (Not necessary if using homemade marina.)
  5. Bring tomato mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta (it needn’t be fully submerged) and cook, stirring often, until strands are flexible but still slightly firm in center, 6 to 10 minutes. (If sauce begins to dry up before pasta is done, add hot water, ½ cup at a time, and continue cooking pasta. Begin checking pasta 2 minutes shy of package instructions; it should be nearly cooked to your liking before adding seafood.)
  6. Add water to a separate pot with a steamer basket, bring to a boil, drop in the lobster tails and cover, steaming for 3 minutes. Remove tails from pot set aside.
  7. While the lobster is steaming, stir shrimp and scallops into red sauce and cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is al dente and seafood is opaque, about 3 minutes.
  8. Off heat, add parsley, cherry peppers and brine, and toss to combine. (Pasta sauce will continue to thicken. Adjust consistency with additional hot water as needed.) Season with salt to taste.
  9. Serve, sprinkled with extra pepper flakes (optional), topped with lobster tails and drizzled with extra oil.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Matthew Fairman for America’s Test Kitchen

Scallops and Chorizo in Tomato Sauce

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We had our doubts as to whether or not tender scallops and bold Spanish chorizo would make good bedfellows. This unusual combination proves that spiced cured pork and delicate shellfish are a match made in one-skillet weeknight-dinner heaven.

The recipe from Bon Appétit starts with searing scallops on one side over high heat to develop a golden brown crust, then a sauce is built from salty chorizo, lots of garlic, and bright Sun Gold tomatoes (you can use any variety of cherry tomatoes, but that vibrant yellow hue can’t be beat). The scallops are nestled back into the sauce for the last few minutes to cook through. Serve with toast for a bright, satisfying meal that comes together in about 30 minutes.

It’s worth it to seek out Spanish chorizo—a firm, cured pork product like salami—for this dish, if you can. Unlike Mexican chorizo, which is raw spiced ground pork sold loose or in sausage casings, the Spanish variety is well-salted and already cooked, so it only requires a minute or two in the pan to crisp up and render out some flavorful fat to sizzle with your sauce’s aromatic base.

Don’t be fooled by the seemingly spare quantity in the skillet before serving. The entrée is very rich and filling. I only managed to eat 3 of the scallops. Of course, if you want to beef up the meal, serving over a Baked Rice dish (Arroz Al Horno) provides more heft.

Scallops and Chorizo in Tomato Sauce

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 12 large dry sea scallops, side muscles removed, patted dry
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • ½ tsp. smoked paprika, plus more for serving
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 oz. smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into small pieces
  • 1½ lb. Sun Gold and/or cherry tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • Chopped parsley (for serving)
  • 1 baguette, sliced, toasted

Directions

  1. Season 12 large dry sea scallops, side muscles removed, patted dry, with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and sprinkle with ½ tsp. smoked paprika. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over high. Cook scallops until golden brown underneath, about 2 minutes (no need to brown on the other side). Transfer to a plate and arrange, browned side up.
  2. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook 6 oz. smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into small pieces, in pan, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisped, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to a bowl.
  3. Cook 1½ lb. Sun Gold and/or cherry tomatoes in same pan, undisturbed, until lightly blistered underneath, about 1 minute. Add 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have burst and are falling apart, 2–3 minutes. Add 1 shallot, finely chopped, and 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened and garlic has started to soften, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add ½ cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until saucy, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add chorizo and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and stir to melt butter. Add scallops, nestling into sauce browned side up, and cook until scallops are just cooked through, about 3 minutes.
  5. Divide scallops and sauce among shallow bowls; top each with chopped parsley and a pinch of paprika. Serve with 1 baguette, sliced, toasted.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Kendra Vaculin for Bon Appétit

Scallop Nirvana!

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At nearly $30 per pound for sea scallops, you want to ensure that the end result is going to be worth your hard-earned dollars. On top of being quick-cooking and easy, there’s little more than a handful of ingredients. Plus, you’ll enjoy a crisp sear on the outside and tender, juicy insides with this Lemon Scallops recipe. And trust us, you’ll be wanting for more—we bought one pound and ate them all!

Make sure to cook in at least two batches so that you don’t crowd the pan and risk not getting that golden crisp sear on the exteriors. The recipe indicates this should take about 2 minutes per side, but in our case it was closer to 1 1/2 minutes per side. For the smoothest, velvety sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to eliminate blackened bits and/or garlic chunks before adding the butter.

Paired with a Citrus Couscous Salad, it was a perfect dinner to kick off the Spring season. We both agreed, they were among the BEST scallops we’ve ever eaten—even taking into account upscale seafood restaurants!

Lemon Scallops

  • Servings: 2-4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 â€“ 1.5 lbs. sea scallops
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. butter 
  • Chopped fresh mint

Directions

  1. Pat scallops dry. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place on a plate. Chill, uncovered, for 2 hours. Remove and let stand 30 minutes.
  2. Heat a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. To check when hot enough, add a large drop of water (1/8 teaspoon) to the skillet. When it rolls around the pan like a bead of mercury, it is ready. This will take 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Remove skillet from heat; add oil. Swirl to coat bottom of skillet. Return to medium-high heat. Add scallops, half at a time (don’t crowd the pan). Cook for 2 minutes or until a crust forms (be patient; the scallops will release when they’re ready to be turned). Turn and cook for 2 minutes more or until scallops are crusted on the second side and turn opaque.
  4. Remove scallops from skillet to a plate; cover loosely. Remove skillet from heat. Carefully add wine, broth, lemon juice, and garlic (mixture will spatter). Return to heat. Bring to boiling, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Boil gently, uncovered, 5 minutes or until reduced by about half. Remove from heat.
  5. Strain over a fine mesh sieve to remove any blackened bits and garlic chunks, then whisk in the butter for a velvety sauce.
  6. Spoon sauce over scallops to serve. Sprinkle with mint.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Colleen Weeden for Better Homes & Gardens