Winter White Seafood Pasta |
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Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 75 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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A completely unique rich, and savory use of fresh scallops, asparagus, in a creamy champagne sauce. It sounds more difficult than it is. It is rich, but subtle in it's flavor. Don't expect spice or deep flavors, but it is great. Just follow the directions as is. Steamed asparagus doesn't work, canned artichokes don't work. It needs to be prepared right for the great flavor. Ingredients:
3/4 lb thin spaghetti (angle hair is a bit thin but ok, but thin spaghetti works great) |
1 1/2 lbs scallops (24-30 large sea scallops) |
salt |
pepper |
1 teaspoon olive oil |
1 teaspoon butter |
1 lb white asparagus (you can use green if that is all you can find, but white is perfect for this) |
olive oil |
salt |
pepper |
13 ounces artichoke hearts (birds eye, 1 1/2 boxes of frozen artichokes) |
1 medium onion, fine diced |
6 ounces champagne (1 split of champagne, available at any liquor store) |
1 1/2 cups heavy cream |
3/4 cup chicken broth |
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, fine chopped |
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, fine chopped |
1 teaspoon butter |
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated |
4 scallions, fine chopped |
Directions:
1. Asparagus - To roast the asparagus, cut the asparagus on an angle in 1 pieces. Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper and cook 15 minutes until slightly soft and tender. Once the asparagus is done, remove and wrap up right in the foil it was cooked in and set to the side. This will keep it warm and there are not pots or pans to clean.
2. Artichoke Sauce - As the asparagus cooks, start the sauce. In a medium size pot, heat the butter on medium heat and saute the onion and cook 2-3 minutes until translucent or slightly tender.
3. Chop the artichokes and add to the pan and cook another minute or two.
4. Then add the champagne, the chicken broth, cream, salt and pepper, parsley, and thyme and cook on medium low. The cream and champagne will reduce and slightly thicken as it cooks. Just let it cook 5-7 minutes as you make the pasta and scallops. The sauce is finished.
5. Pasta - Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Thin spaghetti or angel hair doesn't take long and just enough time to make the scallops.
6. Scallops - First, bring the scallops to almost room temp (just not ice cold), sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then in a medium size saute pan, bring to medium high heat and add the butter and oil. Add the scallops and sear until the scallops are golden brown on one side and then flip and finish when the other side in also golden brown. Do not over cook. They will only take a minute or two on each side. Remove from the heat as soon as they are done.
7. Combine - Drain the pasta well and toss with the artichoke sauce, asparagus and scallops. Taste for any additional seasoning and garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese.
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