Seared Scallops with Turmeric Cream Sauce over Fettucine

I finished watching that first episode of Top Chef last week. I've been imagining myself as a contestant and wondering what I would make for the Signature Dish Elimination Challenge. I could go Southern and make fried chicken, which my kids love, but would it be elevated enough? I could go cultural and make perogi, but that isn't always pretty. So instead, I am going to cook with my heart and make scallops.

I say I am cooking from the heart, because today is my 4 month wedding anniversary and my husband loves scallops. They are not something we have very often though because they are pretty expensive. Pairing them with a turmeric cream sauce makes for a decadently celebratory meal for just the two of us, since the big kids are at their dad's and the baby is already in bed.

Besides the taste, the best part of this recipe is that it takes no where near 3 hours to prepare. Using pre-made pasta, you can have this elegant meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. So poor the wine, and let's start cooking.

Make sure to gather all of your ingredients and get your prep work done before you start cooking. Scallops are delicate and cook quickly.

Carefully dry your scallops and set on a paper towel. If they are too moist, they will shrivel up and not brown as well. 

Melt half your butter with the olive oil in a skillet until foamy. 

Add you scallops to the butter mixture and sear for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. 

After browning your scallops, remove them to a plate and set aside while you make the sauce. Add the rest of your butter, garlic, turmeric and cream. Whisk together until it begins to thicken. 

Serve scallops and sauce over fettuccine and garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. 

Seared Scallops with Turmeric Cream Sauce over Fettucini 

Ingredients

• 12 large scallops
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 pt heavy cream
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 3/4 lb dried spinach fettucine
• 6 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Remove your scallops from the packaging and set on a paper towel to ensure they are dry. 
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 
3. Place 2 TBSP butter and the olive oil in a large frying pan. Melt the butter over medium high heat until the mixture begins to foam. 
4. Place your scallops into the pan one at a time in a clock wise direction from the top. 
5. Sear over medium high heat for 2 minutes or until golden brown. 
6. In the same order that they entered the pan, flip the scallops and sear for another minute and a half. 
7. Remove finished scallops from the pan and set aside in a warm space. 
8. Add the remaining butter, garlic and turmeric to the pan and sautee for 2 minutes. 
9. Add the cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Then stir in the lemon juice. Turn the heat to low. 
10. Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the directions. 
11. Remove 1/2 cup of cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta. And divide into 3 portions.
12. Add the cooking water, Parmesan cheese and lemon zest to the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
13. Top each pasta portion with 4 scallops. Cover with 1/3 of the sauce. 
14. Garnish with chopped parsley and a little more Parmesan cheese if desired. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories	942
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 84.7g	109%
Saturated Fat 49g	245%
Cholesterol 306mg	102%
Sodium 455mg	20%
Total Carbohydrate 19.7g	7%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 0.6g
Protein 28.6g
Vitamin D 94mcg	469%
Calcium 241mg	19%
Iron 1mg	7%
Potassium 588mg	13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet.2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

This recipe has large amounts of vitamin D but is not what I would consider diet friendly. It is a wonderful meal to celebrate with though, and I encourage you to try it. Let me know what you think. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Kristie