Linguine With Scallops

When you run out of dinner ideas and are tired of eating the same dishes over and over again, it's time to call in the seafood cavalry. Packed with flavor and protein, seafood products make easy and flavorful meals and can become your new allies in the kitchen. Say goodbye to the good old grilled chicken breast and welcome into your pan delicious and juicy scallops. Served with a moist bowl of linguini, our garlicky scallops are a wonderful and filling dinner that you can prepare and serve in just 30 minutes. A few pantry staples like olive oil, garlic, butter, and bread crumbs join the scallops in the pan and make a savory sauce perfumed with fresh parsley. A satisfying complete dinner can be accompanied by a simple fresh green salad and a slice of crusty bread. This dish brings the best of the scallops' flavor to your plate without adding ingredients that can overwhelm the delicate flavor of these juicy morsels of sea.

When buying seafood, scallops might not be at the top of your list, and perhaps may not even be on your radar, but they are tasty, nutritious additions to your weekly menu. A type of mollusk, scallops are low in fat and carbs, but high in protein, making them a filling favorite for low carbohydrate diets. A great source of selenium that is also low in mercury, scallops are rich in key minerals and vitamins. Three-quarters of a pound of mixed species of scallops, the amount of scallops you'd be using for this recipe, has approximately 234.4 calories, just 1.64 grams of fat, an outstanding 43.6 grams of protein, and 44 micrograms of selenium, close to 80 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of the mineral—a key component in metabolic and thyroid function.

For this recipe you can use any scallops you can find. Larger sea scallops need to be cut into smaller pieces, bay scallops sliced in half, and Calico left whole. When buying scallops, let your nose be your guide. Scallops should smell briny and sweet and any fishy smell should be an alarm. If buying frozen scallops, a cheaper and good option, keep them in the back of the freezer for up to three months and thaw in the fridge overnight before using. Either way, give the scallops a good rinse and check that the main meat has no flaps or other attached pieces—if so pull them away and discard. Pat dry and cook. Quick and hot is the way to go for our recipe because they're going to finish up cooking once the pasta gets incorporated into the scallop pan. If you need to keep the recipe dairy-free, replace the butter with vegan butter.