Scallops With Mint Pesto Recipes

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS OVER PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a non-stick skillet or frying pan, heat olive oil over moderately high heat until very hot.
• Season the scallops with toasted sesame ginger seasonings (or with salt and pepper).
• Add the scallops to the pan and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottoms get browned.
• Drizzle on top with soy sauce. Then add the butter to the scallops.
• Turn and cook until browned on the other side, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice on top while cooking. Then turn them over again to cook for about another minute or so. About 3 minutes per side.
• Arrange dinner plates with a tablespoon of warm basil pesto sauce in the center of each plate.
• Lay 3 or 4 scallops on each plate. Optional: Add fresh cracked pepper on top.
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.
• Serves 3 to 4 ( with 3 or 4 scallops per serving)

SCALLOPS WITH MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Make pesto: In a food processor, place mint, 1/4 cup oil, 3 tablespoons pine nuts, lemon juice, and garlic. Process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes; thin with water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pat scallops dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high. Cook scallops, on one side, until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip, and cook until opaque throughout, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to serving plates; top with pesto and remaining pine nuts.

SCALLOPS WITH PESTO CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Season scallops with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and add scallops. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Add pesto and capers; mix well. Stir in heavy cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and serve.

BAY SCALLOPS WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the basil, parsley, walnuts, and cheese in a food processor or mortar. Pulse or grind gradually adding the 3 cups olive oil until the mixture forms a paste.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook until it is al dente, about 8 minutes; drain and reserve.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the scallops, mushrooms, and zucchini and cook until the vegetables are tender and the scallops are opaque, about 2 minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons of pesto and the linguine. Toss to coat the pasta with sauce. Spoon onto warm plates and serve. Store pesto covered in the refrigerator.

PASTA WITH PESTO AND SCALLOPS

Steps:

• In a large pot with boiling salted water cook fettuccini pasta until al dente. Drain. Stir in pesto sauce and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil until soft. Add green bell pepper, mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in dry white wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Add scallops and toss for 2 minutes. Take care not to overcook the scallops, as they will toughen when exposed to prolonged heat.
• Toss the pesto covered pasta with the scallop sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

SCALLOPS WITH CREAMY PESTO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook the scallops 4 minutes until golden and barely opaque in centers. Remove to plate.
• Remove skillet from heat, add pesto and cream and stir quickly to blend.
• Spoon the sauce onto serving plates and top with the scallops.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH MINT, PEAS, AND BACON

Steps:

• Place scallops on a paper towel-lined plate and pat very dry with additional paper towels. Season both sides with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper total.
• Bring 1 cup water to a boil, covered, in a small pot. Add peas and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook until peas are bright green and tender, about 2 minutes for fresh and 4 minutes for frozen. Drain peas through a strainer set over a bowl; reserve cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet and heat over medium-high. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until fat starts to render, about 3 minutes. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned and bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon and shallot to a small bowl, reserving fat in skillet. Add 1/2 cup cooked peas to bacon mixture.
• Purée lemon juice, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, the remaining 1 1/2 cups peas, and 1/2 cup reserved pea cooking liquid in a blender. Add oil and pureé until smooth. Add 2 Tbsp. mint leaves and pureé until just combined but pieces of mint are still visible. Divide pea purée among 4 plates.
• Heat skillet with reserved fat over high until just barely smoking. Working in batches and adding more oil if necessary, sear scallops until a golden brown crust has formed and scallop releases from skillet, about 3 minutes per side. Top pea purée with scallops and bacon-pea mixture, then sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. mint.

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH MINT AND CHIVES

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Add scallops to skillet and sauté until golden and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer scallops to plates. Add clam juice, lemon juice, mint and chives to same skillet. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, about 3 minutes. Pour sauce over scallops and serve.