Ever wish you could make something super fancy but also super easy? This elegant pasta dish is easy to pull off, and the flavors? Think rich, buttery scallops tossed in a zesty sauce with linguine. It's that good, and you can whip it up in no time!
INGREDIENTS
8 oz linguine pasta
Salt, for pasta water
1 ¼ lbs Pacific Bay Bay Scallop Meat
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided into 1 tbsp for searing and 5 tbsp for sauce)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water (optional, for sauce consistency)
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)
PROCEDURE
Cook the linguine. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until just shy of al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the linguine.
Prepare and season scallops. Pat the bay scallop meat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season them well with salt and fresh black pepper.
Sear the bay scallops. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bay scallops in a single layer. Sear them very quickly, for about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, just until they turn opaque and get a light golden crust. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; work in batches if needed. Remove scallops and set aside.
Make the brown butter sauce. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Let it foam and turn nutty brown. Stir in minced garlic and thyme; cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Combine with pasta. Add the cooked linguine to the skillet with the brown butter sauce. Toss well, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs to be looser.
Finish and serve. Return the seared bay scallops to the skillet and gently toss for about 30 seconds to warm them through. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges and garnish with chopped parsley.