Packed with colorful summer vegetables serve seared scallops over pasta. After a little vegetable prep work, it goes together easily. Toss in thinly sliced basil leaves at the end for wonderful flavor and even more color. You’ll need a good nonstick pan to sear the scallops. To save a few minutes, you can use organic frozen sweet corn instead of cooking an ear of fresh corn. Alternatively, serve with steamed brown rice.
1cupcooked corn kernels2 ears or use frozen thawed
1 tablespoonolive oil
1largeshallotthinly sliced crosswise into rings
3largegarlic cloveschopped fine
1dry pintsmall sweet tomatoeshalved
2mediumzucchiniabout a pound
2teaspoonsolive oilto sear scallops
1poundlarge sea scallops
⅔cupdry white wineor broth
Salt and pepperto taste
2handfulsfresh basil leavestorn up
8ouncespasta of choiceangel hair, linguine, or spaghetti
Instructions
If using fresh corn, bring a pot of water (large enough to hold the ear of corn) to a boil. Add salt and drop corn into the boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes and remove the corn. When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife and set aside.
For zucchini, trim off the ends, then cut lengthwise into quarters. Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, cut out the seedy center. Cut each quarter into slices about a ½” (1 cm) wide. Set aside.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil for the pasta and cook according to package directions. While the water is coming to a boil, cook the vegetables. In a large sauté or fry pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. When hot add the shallot and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the corn, tomatoes and zucchini. Cook 5-7 minutes until tomatoes soften and zucchini and corn brown a bit. When done turn off the heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Keep warm.
To prepare scallops, pat them dry, then season top and bottom with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat with a 2 teaspoons of olive oil. When hot, place the scallops in a flat, single layer in the pan. Allow them to cook until a golden brown crust forms, then turn carefully. Pour in the wine, cover with a lid immediately and turn heat to low. Cook scallops about another 2 minutes. They will be slightly translucent in the center. Do not over cook them. Depending on size, they will take between 5-7 minutes.
Place hot pasta in wide shallow bowls and top with vegetables, basil, and scallops. Serve immediately.
Notes
To serve, place pasta and vegetables in a wide shallow bowl and top with scallops. For garish, sprinkle on additional fresh chopped herbs, top with scallops and if desired and little drizzle of good finishing olive oil (a lemon olive oil is nice).