Quick, light, delicious — a spring supper in thirty minutes, including chopping
and peeling. I added a little pasta to the pan stew to give it substance. You
want the scallop and pea flavors to dominate, so make sure the pasta shells
are thin not thick. (Names, sizes, and thickness vary from brand to brand.)
And you want shells, because they will catch the juices. You can, of course,
omit the pasta if you prefer.

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 pound dried pasta shells the same size as the scallops
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 generous cup pearl onions, peeled
  • 1 pound scallops
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups shelled english peas (about 1 1/4 pounds unshelled
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

    DIRECTIONS

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the pasta and cook
    until al dente, about 12 minutes.

    While the pasta water comes to a boil, begin cooking the pan stew. Heat the
    olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the
    onions, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until light brown, about 3
    minutes. Remove to a plate and reserve. Add the scallops, and cook without
    moving them until they brown on one side, about 1 minute. Turn and cook just
    until cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes longer. (The timing will vary
    according to the size of the scallops. Bay scallops require only seconds.)
    Remove the scallops to a plate.

    Add the garlic to the pan and sauté briefly until light rown. Add the wine
    and bring to a boil, while stirring and scraping all over the bottom of the
    pan to loosen any browned bits. Add the stock, return to a boil, season with
    salt and pepper, and add the reserved onions. Simmer gently until the onions
    are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and continue to cook until just
    tender, about 3 minutes.

    Return the scallops to the pan with the basil, lemon zest, parsley, and the
    butter, if using. Cook just until the scallops are warm.

    When the pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the saute pan with the pea
    mixture. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

    Chef’s Notes:
    If you prefer less wine flavor, reduce the amount to 1/2 cup or leave it out
    altogether, replacing the liquid with 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon freshly
    squeezed lemon juice.