Seafood Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops (and Garlic)
1 lb scallops, fresh or thawed
Kosher salt
12 oz good quality pasta
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 large or 12 medium raw shrimp, fresh or frozen (and thawed) peeled, and deveined
3 or 4 cloves minced garlic
chopped Italian, flat leaf parsley
freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 oz good quality butter
1/3 cup dry white wine (you can substitute seafood stock or broth if you'd like)
(lemon slices/wedges to serve)
Prepare the Scallops
Soak the scallops for 10 minutes in a brine solution (3 Tbsp Kosher salt in 16 oz water.)
Remove after 10 minutes and place on a rack to dry.
Cook the Pasta
Next, put a large pot of well salted water on to boil for the pasta. Once the pasta goes in, set a timer for 7 minutes before the pasta will be ready (according to package instructions.)
Make the Sauce
Make sure the scallops are dry. If they are not, pat them dry with a paper towel. When the timer goes off, put a large cast iron pan on high heat and add the extra virgin olive oil.
When the pan and oil are very hot, add the scallops and sear them for about 1 1/2 minutes before adding the shrimp, garlic, and parsley.
Cook for another 2 minutes, then turn the scallops and shrimp and cook for a further 1 1/2 minutes. Next, add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan; turn the heat down just to keep it warm.
Add the butter and stir to melt. Add some freshly ground black pepper, if desired, then taste the sauce or a piece of seafood and add salt if needed.
Add the Pasta to the Seafood Sauce
Drain the pasta, which should be ready, but reserve a cup or so of pasta water. You will only need this pasta water if you want to add some after mixing everything together. Add the pasta directly to the seafood sauce in the pan.
Stir gently to incorporate all the ingredients together. Add some of the reserved pasta water, if desired, then top with a twist of lemon in the pan.
Serve
Serve immediately as this seafood pasta dish is best piping hot. Don't forget some crusty bread to mop up the buttery garlic and wine sauce at the end!
Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 15 min Total Time: 30 min
