I really wanted scallops
today and I did not want to go to the store to buy any ingredients, so I scoured
my cookbooks and came up with this recipe.
This was in The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook, I just bought at Costco. Looking it over, the calories were quite
high, but I worked on it and reduced by half. I will write the original recipe and in parentheses
give you the version I made. Jim and I
both thought my version was delicious.
Jim had two huge servings and we have a lunch portion left over. So, even the reduced version serves 4.
Ingredients:
1# spaghetti ( I used ½#
whole wheat spaghetti)
Salt
1# large scallops
6 T EVOO (I used 3)
1 t red pepper flakes, or to
taste
¼ C cognac or brandy (I used
2T) If you use the 1/4C, tie back your
hair, roll up your sleeves, turn off the exhaust fan, have a high ceiling. Make sure all burners are off and light with
a very long match.
12 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz can) diced tomatoes,
DRAINED (I used a 15 oz can)
1 C dry white wine
½ t sugar (I used Splenda)
¼ C minced fresh parsley
Directions:
1.
Bring 4 qts.
water to a boil in a large pot. Add
pasta and 1 T salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ C cooking water, then drain pasta
and return to pot. I have a Calphalon
pasta pot. I love it. I cook the pasta, and pull it out with the
insert and leave the insert resting out of the water, but over it. When it is time to serve the pasta, I dip it
back in the water, pull it out and it is warm and adds a little pasta water to
the dish.
2.
Meanwhile, toss
the scallops with 2 (1) T of EVOO, ½ t red pepper flakes, and ¾ (1/2) t salt.
3.
Heat a 12”
skillet over high heat. Add the
scallops, spread into even layer, and cook, without stirring, until bottoms of
scallops turn spotty brown, about 30 seconds.
4.
Off heat, flip
the scallops then add cognac and let warm through, about 5 seconds.
5.
Wave lit match
over pan until cognac ignites, then shake pan to distribute flames.
6.
When flames
subside, transfer scallops to a bowl and set aside. Cool skillet slightly, about 3 minutes.
7.
Heat 3 (1 ½) T
EVOO and three quarters of garlic in now-empty skillet over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic foams
and is stick and straw-colored, about 10 minutes. (Mine took less and never foamed.)
8.
Stir in tomatoes,
wine, sugar (Splenda), ¾ (1/2) salt, and remaining ½ t pepper flakes, increase
heat to medium-high, and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes.
9.
Stir in scallops
along with any accumulated juices, parsley, and remaining garlic into
sauce.
10. Simmer until scallops have heated through, about 1
minute.
11. Off heat, stir in remaining 1 (1/2) T EVOO.
12. Add the sauce
to the pasta and toss to combine.
You can also make this recipe
with shrimp. With this I served the
Grilled Garlic Bread from Cooking Light Mix & Match low-calorie Cookbook.
Ingredients:
1T EVOO
4 (1-oz) slices French bread
1 garlic clove, halved
Directions:
My stove in this rental house
is severely lacking in size and large size burners so I had to use the broiler
and couldn’t get cute grille marks.
1.
Heat a grill pan
over medium heat.
2.
Brush EVOO evenly
over bread slices on each side.
3.
Add bread to pan;
cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
4.
Rub 1 side of
each bread slice with cut sides of halved garlic clove.
Jim served a great Italian
white wine. It is a 2007 Ribolla Gialla,
DOC Zuc di Volvpe. We got it in VA from
the Opera House Gourmet. It stood up to
12 cloves of garlic and was really good.
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