Seared Scallops over Penne with Garlic, Parsley and Lemon

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Since we actually committed to getting three fish meals in a week (at home!), it hasn’t been as difficult as I thought. The fish market is very near to where Haley has guitar lessons on Tuesday and almost directly next door to my CSA pick up location on Thursday – so I get whatever they’ve got super fresh on Tuesday and order what I want for Thursday. So far it’s working out beautifully.

• 2 lbs. Whole grain pasta (I used Mueller’s penne)
• 1 buch parsley, chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
• the zest and juice of one lemon
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• about a cup of vegetable stock
• 1 lb. large sea scallops – about 2 per serving

Put up a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook according to package directions and then drain in a colindar.  Put the pot back on the heat, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan.  When it heats up, add the garlic and saute for a minute. add the lemon zest and juice, then add the vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the parsley and then the pasta back to the pot, toss, cover and remove from heat.

Heat a saute pan to a pretty high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and when that’s hot, gently add the scallops.  You want to hear a sizzle. Allow them to sit on the heat – don’t move them around, you don’t want them to break and you bit of a crust on them, and just barely cooked in the center. After about 2-3 minutes, the scallops should easily release so that you can flip them.  If they don’t release, they’re not ready; let them tell you when.

When they’re done on both sides, transfer to a plate.

Plate some pasta, making sure you toss it really well first – and top with a couple of scallops.

Delicious – so satisfying. I think next time I’d had something with some heat, maybe red pepper flake when I’m sautéing the garlic. Serves 6-8 people.

(There are only six scallops in that pan, because not everyone ate at the same time and I wanted the scallops cooked to order. The pasta I don’t mind reheated, but the scallops really need to be made fresh.)

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