Home ยป Red Wine Spaghetti with Seared Scallops

Red Wine Spaghetti with Seared Scallops

Sometimes Mr. Prevention and I have very bizarre conversations. Last week, we were ranking in order of preference various seafood such as crab, lobster, scallops, shrimp, and mussels. And then arguing about which seafood is better and why.

In order of mt most favorite to least favorite, I would choose crab, scallops, lobster, mussels, and then shrimp…in case any one was curious. But I can’t remember what Mr. Prevention chose. He ranked shrimp ahead of lobster…I remember that much. Crazy buffoon.

I recently fell in love with scallops all over again during a recent visit to Whole Foods. They were giving out samples of THE biggest scallops I’ve ever laid eyes on. And the flavor? Buttery-tasting thanks to their smooth, tender texture. I did a few laps around the store to see if I could snatch another scallop, but no such luck.

So when I ran across this recipe for red wine spaghetti (which by the way, is actually red when you don’t use whole wheat pasta), I received a huff and puff from Mr. Prevention. He wanted to know, “Where’s the meat?!”

On top of this stunning pasta with its simple, but bold flavors, I added seared scallops. Three…big…buttery scallops. And suddenly, the man changed his take on this pasta meal. I can’t help but think of this as such a warm, wintery dish. Between the red pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings that could resemble snow…how appropriate for the welcoming of November!

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Red Wine Spaghetti adapted from Food & Wine and The Novice Chef

1 bottle dry red wine
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
13.25 oz box whole wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup walnuts (2 oz), toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
18 scallops (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:

In a large pot, combine all but ~1/4 cup of the red wine, 3 cups of water, and the salt. Bring to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook, till al dente, according to instructions on box. The pasta should absorb most all of the liquid (if not, drain pasta before tossing in upcoming step).

In a deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup red wine. Bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large non-stick skillet. Sear the scallops about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until browned and no longer opaque throughout.

Carefully stir in the pasta, and cook until liquid has absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley, nuts, the 1/2 cup of cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and toss. Season the pasta with pepper and serve with 3 scallops atop the pasta. Yield: 6 servings (about 1 1/4 cups pasta with 3 scallops).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 616 calories; 21.8 g. fat; 40 mg. cholesterol; 598 mg. sodium; 53.3 g. carbohydrate; 7.2 g. carbohydrate; 30 g. protein

Result: A dressed up spaghetti meal that suites the wine-lover best. Because the pasta absorbs nearly the entire bottle of wine while cooking, the pasta is flavored beautifully with wine. Therefore, be sure to use a bottle you love! A Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon, or merlot would be my choices here. While I served this pasta meal with seared scallops you could certainly opt for a vegetarian meal, or switch the protein to shrimp, chicken, or even a red meat…the flavors are very versatile. Enjoy!

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I’m looking forward to a workout and a nice dinner at home tonight. Last week was week #2 back-on-track and I want to get in several workouts before traveling this weekend!

Question: Do you eat seafood? If so, what’s your favorite seafood?

P.S. I dressed up as a hockey player…but I did wash my equipment. What could be washed of it, anyways! 😉

Be well,

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24 Comments

  1. Hezzi-D
    November 1, 2011 / 6:18 am

    Yum! This pasta looks amazing. Unfortunately I don’t eat scallops or hardly any other seafood, but I think it sounds delicioius even without the scallops.

  2. Joanne
    November 1, 2011 / 7:01 am

    I love how scallops taste so rich without actually BEING so rich.

    I’m trying to be super good this week also in preparation for our trip!

  3. Amy B @ Second City Randomness
    November 1, 2011 / 7:04 am

    I love seafood!

    Sadly, the man friend is super allergic. Maybe I’ll site this as the reason if we end up breaking up… it’s legit, right?

    • Nicole
      Author
      November 1, 2011 / 3:32 pm

      I wanna hear more about this man friend! And does man friend = boyfriend? ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Anna @ On Anna's Plate
    November 1, 2011 / 9:21 am

    Hahaha…that totally sounds like a conversation I’d have with my husband ๐Ÿ™‚

    This looks awesome!

  5. Heather
    November 1, 2011 / 9:30 am

    Scallops and lobster are my faves!

  6. Anne Marie@New Weigh of Life
    November 1, 2011 / 10:41 am

    I love seafood! I’m a sucker for shrimp and crabs.

  7. Cara
    November 1, 2011 / 11:58 am

    I love scallops. These pictures are especially beautiful!

  8. Lindsey
    November 1, 2011 / 12:09 pm

    Wow, your scallops look just perfect! Great photos, too!

  9. Leah @ Why Deprive?
    November 1, 2011 / 1:29 pm

    This looks amazing. I cant get over how well you eat in your house. Have you told your husband how lucky he is? Because I can pretty much promise you, when I get married my husband will have to settle for cold leftovers unless he cooks for himself.

    My favorite seafoods would go like this: scallops, shrimp, artificial crab (I know, but its GOOD). Thats it. I honestly dont see the big deal about crab and lobster. Real crab is ok if its in a dip, but other than that Im not a big fan. And lobster – it does nothing for me. At all.

    • Nicole
      Author
      November 1, 2011 / 3:31 pm

      Just so you know I forwarded him your comment straight from my inbox ๐Ÿ˜‰ I am guessing he disagrees! The man seriously loves pizza…like, a lot.

  10. EA-The Spicy RD
    November 1, 2011 / 2:54 pm

    Fabulous dish and those scallops on top look AMAZING! I would rank my seafood as follows: lobster, scallops, mussels, crab. No shrimp, as I am one of those odd people who really don’t care for it at all. Can’t wait to make this!

    • Nicole
      Author
      November 1, 2011 / 3:30 pm

      I can see why people don’t like shrimp…the texture can be off-putting! I hope you enjoy the dish, EA! ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. Regan @ The Professional Palate
    November 1, 2011 / 3:00 pm

    How I wish I had some of this waiting on me tonight!

  12. Eunice
    November 1, 2011 / 3:18 pm

    A whole bottle of wine! I am definitely going to like this recipe. Shrimp is my favorite, but I’m willing to give scallops a try. I’ve never had them!

    • Nicole
      Author
      November 1, 2011 / 3:29 pm

      Eunice: This pasta would be great with shrimp, too! And don’t let scallops scare you…they’re so simple!!

  13. thehealthyapron
    November 1, 2011 / 5:22 pm

    ooo this looks super tasty! I love salmon. I know that seems boring but I JUST LOVE IT! I also am a sucker for crab cakes!

  14. Erika @ The Teenage Taste
    November 1, 2011 / 5:56 pm

    I love seared scallops but never even thought of trying to make them at home. I always thought it was so hard (must be all the Hell’s Kitchen I watch) but your directions make it sound easy! Thanks for sharing!

  15. Biz
    November 1, 2011 / 8:57 pm

    Here’s a random fact of your friend Biz: I never even TRIED seafood until about 10 years ago – now I love it! Well, except fish – the only fish I like is ahi tuna and chilean sea bass – only the most expensive ones to buy in the store! ๐Ÿ™

  16. Amanda
    November 1, 2011 / 11:08 pm

    This looks so delicious! I absolutely love scallops and your recipe complements them so well.

  17. Yudith @ Blissfully Delicious
    November 3, 2011 / 9:23 pm

    Oh yum, this looks delicious! Thanks for sharing ๐Ÿ™‚

  18. Cara
    November 13, 2011 / 8:54 pm

    I think your shrimp ranking is far too low… but I do love the cleverness of this dish, using wine to cook the pasta, and it sounds great with scallops!

  19. Pingback: Pasta Dishes | Prevention RD
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