Recipe: Scallops, Shallots and Spinach with Fettucine
It's a guilt-free creamy pasta dish — because spinach is good for you, right?
There are times in my busy catering life when own my kitchen resembles a mini Whole Foods stocked with fresh produce, cheeses, proteins and dried goods. There are also times when there’s nothing but wine, water, champagne and yogurt. I rather like the latter better. When I am in overstocked mode, I find myself in the enviable position of creating new recipes on a weekly basis in order to prevent waste and put something interesting on the table on the off days I’m not working.
The other day, as I shuttled back from Manhattan for the fourth time that week, I thought about dinner — this would be the first time I had the opportunity to cook at home in almost two weeks. As I mentally clicked off what was in the refrigerator, a delicious, I had an inviting image of a comforting bowl of pasta coated in sherry-scented cream, studded with sea scallops, entwined with spinach and accented with crispy shallots. All I needed were the scallops; all the other ingredients were on hand. I stopped at my favorite fish monger, bought a pound of fresh sea scallops, tossed in a baguette and dinner was on.
I made this meal in stages and built layers of flavor upon each other, which resulted in a complex cream sauce that was completely decadent and worth it! I started by caramelizing entire cloves of garlic in olive oil to which I added spinach until it was wilted. I set the spinach aside to drain the liquid. Next, I melted butter in a cast iron skillet and seared the scallops after generously seasoning. I removed the scallops and added the shallots and cooked until caramelized. By now the bottom of the pan had a nice brown crust from the scallop alcohol and crispy shallots. I deglazed the pan with sherry and then added cream. Once the cream thickened, I turned in the spinach. I tossed in some Parmesan cheese and gently slid the scallops into the now-dense sauce. I boiled some fettucine nests and drained, adjusted the seasoning on the sauce and tossed it together with the pasta. A final sprinkling of minced Italian parsley and voila! This was a master dish of pasta.
Fettucine with Creamy Sherry, Shallot, Scallop & Spinach Sauce
Serves 4
1 lb. fresh spinach
8 whole cloves garlic
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, sliced thinly
1 lb. large sea scallops
4 tbsp. salted butter
½ cup sherry
1½ cups light cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
1½ tsp. salt divided
1½ tsp. salt divided
1½ tsp. cracked pepper
2 tbsp. minced Italian parsley flakes
Red pepper flakes to taste
1. In a large cast iron skillet add olive oil and cloves of garlic. Turn heat to medium. Cook for five to eight minutes until garlic is golden. Add ½ tsp. salt and pepper to the oil. In small batches, add the spinach and cook for three to four minutes. Remove from the oil and allow to sit and drain completely.
2. Drain the skillet, save the garlic for another use and wipe dry. Return to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter until melted and bubbling. Add scallops in a single layer. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Sear until golden turning once to sear the other side – total cooking time three to four minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to rest on a plate.
3. Add the shallots to the skillet and cook over medium high heat until caramelized, three to four minutes. Add the sherry all at once and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits. Allow the alcohol to reduce by half around five minutes. Add the cream all at once. Cook over medium heat until thickened four to five minutes. Turn in the spinach after giving it a good press to release any additional liquid. Blend into the sauce. Add the Parmesan all at once. Cook until fully incorporated. Now gently add the shallots.
4. Taste the sauce and add remaining salt and pepper according to taste. Set aside. During the time you make the pasta, the sauce’s flavor will intensify. Boil pasta according to directions. Toss with the sauce and heat gently until steaming. Plate in warmed bowls, sprinkle with parsley, pass red pepper flakes for those who want a little heat.
