Spaghetti With Bay Scallops Leeks And Tarragon Recipes

SPAGHETTI WITH BAY SCALLOPS, LEEKS, AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-low. Add leeks and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add leek mixture to pasta in pot (reserve skillet).
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium. Add scallops and lemon zest; cook, tossing, until scallops are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to pot with pasta. Add tarragon, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and lemon juice; toss, adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Serve immediately.

SCALLOPS WITH "MELTED" LEEKS AND TARRAGON-CAPER BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add capers; sauté until crisp, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Boil wine and next 4 ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat until liquid is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 15 minutes. Add cream; boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. (Capers and sauce can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and 3/4 cup water. Simmer until leeks are tender and almost all water evaporates, about 4 minutes. Mix in chives. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer leek mixture to platter. Tent with foil.
• Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil in another heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add scallops; sauté until cooked, about 2 minutes per side. Arrange atop leeks. Tent with foil.
• Reheat sauce over medium heat. Gradually add 6 tablespoons butter; whisk until smooth, about 1 minute (do not boil). Strain sauce into small bowl. Stir in capers and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over scallops.

CREAMY BAY SCALLOP SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes or 1 minute less than directed on the package.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. When oil just starts to smoke, add scallops and move them into a single layer. Let sear on high for 60 seconds. Toss to turn. Add butter and stir scallops until butter melts. Stir in garlic. Add lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Stir in sherry and cook and stir until alcohol cooks off, about 1 minute. Pour in cream. When mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
• Drain pasta. Transfer to skillet with scallops; bring to a simmer. Add half the parsley. Cook until pasta is heated through and tender, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Grate generously with grated cheese. Add the rest of the parsley. Serve in warm bowls.

QUICK SCALLOPS AND SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti per package instruction while preparing the scallops.
• (Drain spaghetti and reserve about 1 cup of pasta water).
• While spaghetti is cooking, heat skillet on medium high. Add olive oil and heat about 1 minute.
• Add garlic and black pepper, saute for about 45 seconds, do not brown.
• Add scallops and cook until opaque (about 5 minutes).
• Remove scallops to a bowl with slotted spoon.
• Add onion and cook until softened (add a ladle or about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pasta water to skillet to make sauce).
• Once onion pieces are clear and soft, squeeze in the juice of one large lemon.
• Salt to taste.
• Drain and put hot spaghetti in a large bowl, immediately pour the skillet of scallops on top of the spaghetti, add chopped parsley and toss to mix.
• Serve immediately, can add lemon, parsley or red pepper to taste.

TARRAGON LIME BAY SCALLOPS OVER ANGEL-HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
• While pasta is cooking, pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of scallops, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Cook remaining scallops in remaining 3 tablespoons butter in same manner. Return first batch of scallops to skillet and stir in lime juice and tarragon.
• Toss pasta in a bowl with half of scallops and 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Top pasta with remaining scallops and sauce and season with salt and pepper.