Linguine with Seared Scallops and Lemon-Herb Cream Sauce

Meals that are ready in half an hour always get my vote! You can have the sauce ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta. Serve with a side salad of mixed greens.  Chives have high levels of vitamin C and A and essential minerals such as potassium, calcium, folic acid. They are reputedly mildly antibiotic.   Parsely contains vitamin C, potassium, folic and amino acid and is good for blood pressure, the heart and stomacg, and for pain relief. Arthritic aches and pains are reputed to be relieved by taking parsley. Parsley is mildly laxative and has been recognized as a blood purifier through its action in excreting toxins from the body.

Serves 4
recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers
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454g (1 lb.) scallops
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 2 lemons
454g (1 lb.) linguine
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Bring water to boil in a large pot. Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook scallops until deep golden brown on one side (about 1 to 2 minutes). Flip scallops and cook until barely cooked through (1 minute). Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

Add remaining oil and onion to skillet and cook until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds). Add heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened (about 2 minutes). Meanwhile, add linguine and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, drain linguine, and return to pot. Add sauce, chives, basil, and parsley to pot. Stir to combine, adding reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with scallops.


The Culinary Chase’s Note: The lemon juice and zest helps to lift the cream making it a light, herbal sauce which compliments the scallops. A good tip for keeping herbs longer is to soak them in water about 10 minutes before using. This helps to plump up the cells giving life back to an otherwise limp-looking herb after being in the refrigerator for a few days. When searing the scallops, resist the temptation to move them around as a good sear requires the meat to stay in one spot.