Angel Hair Pasta With Scallops And Arugula

This recipe is from the williams-sonoma collection series, pasta, by erica de mane. A note about capers: purchase capers packed in salt. they have a sweet, floral fragrance, as opposed to sharp-tasting brine-packed varieties (the vinegar variety changes the flavor of the caper). Ask for them at italian specialty-food stores. To prepare salted capers, soak them in cool water for about 15 minutes, changing the water once or twice, to remove excess salt. Give them a final rinse and drain well. Estimated prep and cook time combined is 35-40 minutes.

Steps

Rinse the scallops and dry well with paper towels.

Season the scallops with salt and pepper.

In a large , heavy fry pan over high heat , warm the olive oil until it shimmers.

In batches without crowding , add the scallops and sear until nicely browned on one side , about 2 minutes.

Turn the scallops over and brown the other side , about 1 minute more.

Return all the scallops to the pan , add the lemon zest and thyme , and cook for a moment.

Using a slotted spoon , transfer the scallops to a bowl.

Reduce the heat to low and add the butter and shallots to the pan.

Saut until softened , about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile , bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Generously salt the boiling water , add the pasta and cook until al dente , 3 to 4 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking , add the lemon juice and broth to the fry pan and deglaze the pan , stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.

Simmer until slightly thickened , 3 to 4 minutes.

Drain the pasta we.

Ingredients

large scallop, salt & freshly ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, lemon, zest of, fresh thyme sprigs, unsalted butter, shallots, angel hair pasta, lemon, juice of, chicken broth, capers, pine nuts, arugula