Recipe of The Week: Linguine with Bay Scallops, Fennel, and Tomatoes

I don't know about you, but for me the minute the weather rises above 70 degrees I find myself dreading cooking dinner every night. As in d.r.e.a.d.i.n.g. I stare at the refrigerator feeling totally (totally!) uninspired. While I'm standing in the kitchen cooking all I can think about is all of the park timeI am missing while slaving away over a hot stove. Okay, slaving might be a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Given the fact that the only protein that we eat is tofu and seafood/ fish, firing up our non existent grill isn't even an option. Well, This year I think I have found a fix to my Summer cooking dilemma; I am going to become the Queen of the One Pot Wonders (yes, I bestowed this title on myself.) If a recipe calls for one pot it's in, two pots it's out. I think this means we may be eating a lot of pasta this summer, but it also means that there will be less pots for me to slave over. My husband was the first to point out that boiling the noodles actually added in a second pot to this dinner, but come on, it's boiling pasta... that can't count, right? (go with me on this one.) Well, one pot or two recipe was a super easy and delicious and no slaving was involved in the making of this one two pot dinner.


Linguine with Bay Scallops, Fennel, and Tomatoes
Makes 4 servings
total time: 30 minutes

ingredients

8 ounces linguine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium fennel bulb, halved, very thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
1 medium onion, halved, thinly sliced
1 pound bay scallops
1 6-ounce container cherry tomatoes, halved if large
1 tablespoon Pernod or other anise-flavored liqueur
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

preparation

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced fennel and onion; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until wilted but crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to medium bowl.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add scallops and sauté until just opaque in center, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with fennel-onion mixture. Add tomatoes to skillet and sauté until heated through, about 2 minutes. Return fennel-onion mixture and scallops to skillet. Mix in Pernod.
Add drained pasta to skillet; toss to coat, adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Stir in 3 tablespoons chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon fennel fronds. Transfer to large shallow bowl, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.


Recipe from: Bon Appétit  | February 2010