Seared Scallops on Farfalle with Tomato-Cream Sauce (2012- Week 3)

2012 Week 3 Mystery Ingredient: Sea Scallops

I've never had scallops.  I know- hard to believe!   There are a LOT of foods I've never had which is exactly the reason for this New Year's Resolution Challenge.  They're always preparing scallops on Top Chef and all those other cooking shows, so I figured there must be something special about them.   Well... I found out WHY when I visited the grocery store.  At $12-18/pound, it's no wonder!   (A pound would get you about 16-18 scallops.)   Jeremy said, "At that price, I'd rather have a steak!"  Yes, it seems this is a "special occasion" type of food for those budget-minded.

I think I cooked the scallops pretty much to perfection....a nice sear on the outside and still translucent on the inside.  Jeremy didn't care for the texture, but I liked them, much to my surprise.  Still, I don't see what the fuss is about.  They were good, but I'm not head-over-heels in love.   I guess it was nice to try something different.  Now the pasta, on the other hand.... WOW!  This was a restaurant-quality sauce, in my humble opinion.  And it was my own special recipe!  :)

Seared Scallops on Farfalle with Tomato-Cream Sauce

Serves: 2 

Ingredients:
6 oz farfalle pasta
1&1/4 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
~2/3 cup chopped seeded roma tomato
~1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper 
8 sea scallops (~1/2 pound)
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
Remove the small side muscle from the scallops (if needed--mine were already removed), rinse, and thoroughly pat the scallops dry with a paper towel.  Set aside.


Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine white wine, shallots, garlic, and lemon juice in a large skillet; bring to a boil.  Cook until reduced by half (about 5 minutes).  Add cream, cooking over medium heat for 1 minute, then add butter and stir until melted.  Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Add the pasta to the skillet and toss well.  Cover and keep warm.

Before cooking the scallops, make sure they are completely dry.  Salt and pepper the scallops.  Add the butter and oil to a saute pan on high heat.  Once the fat begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other.  Sear the scallops for about 90 seconds on each side.  Do not move or touch the scallops once they are in the pan, except to flip once.  The scallops should have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center.  Serve immediately.