Butter-Basted Scallops with Lemon, Capers and Fettuccine

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb jumbo dry sea scallops (About 10–20 scallops per pound; pat very dry and remove the small side muscle if present.)
• kosher salt (To taste, for seasoning the scallops and pasta water.)
• black pepper (Freshly ground, to taste.)
• 12 oz fettuccine (Dried.)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (For searing the scallops.)
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter (Divided; used for basting and the sauce.)
• 3 cloves garlic (Thinly sliced or minced.)
• 2 tbsp capers (Drained.)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (Freshly squeezed.)
• 1 tsp lemon zest (Finely grated.)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (Chopped, for finishing.)
• 0.5 cup reserved pasta water (Use as needed to loosen and emulsify the sauce.)

Steps

1. 1

   Pat the scallops thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and let them stand while you prepare the pasta and skillet.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until just shy of al dente according to the package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

3. 3

   While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange the scallops in a single layer, leaving space between them.

4. 4

   Sear the scallops without moving them until the undersides are deeply golden brown and the scallops release easily from the skillet, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not force them loose, since disturbing them too early can tear away the crust.

5. 5

   Turn the scallops and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once the butter foams, spoon it repeatedly over the scallops until they are opaque nearly to the center and reach about 125°F to 130°F, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the scallops to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

6. 6

   Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and cook until foamy and nutty-smelling, with lightly browned milk solids, about 1 to 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Add the garlic and capers to the browned butter. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and the capers are warmed, about 30 seconds; do not let the garlic burn.

8. 8

   Add the drained fettuccine, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the skillet. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the butter forms a glossy sauce that coats the noodles.

9. 9

   Add the parsley and toss once more. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.

10. 10

    Divide the fettuccine among four warmed bowls or plates. Arrange the butter-basted scallops over the pasta and spoon any remaining browned-butter sauce from the skillet over the top. Serve immediately.

Notes

The source emphasizes using jumbo dry sea scallops and leaving them undisturbed while the first side sears; they should release easily when properly crusted. The full ingredient list and instructions were unavailable in the provided page excerpt because the recipe is behind a membership prompt, so quantities and several techniques are reconstructed from the dish title and description.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• seafood
• scallops
• pan-seared
• butter-basted
• quick dinner
• Mediterranean-inspired