Scallops with Vermicelli

The trick to bay scallops is restraint, they cook in two minutes flat and turn rubbery on minute three. This recipe respects that by separating them from the long-simmering tomato sauce, cooking them in their own pan, and combining everything at the very last minute.

The lemon-juice marinade does double duty. The acid lightly cures the scallops (the same idea behind ceviche) and the brief marination penetrates the small bay scallops with citrus flavor that survives the quick saute.

The tomato sauce gets a low-and-slow 30-minute simmer with onion, garlic, basil, oregano, and a hit of thyme. Canned Italian plum tomatoes give you the most consistent flavor year-round; fresh tomatoes only beat them in late summer.

A swirl of heavy cream and a tiny dash of nutmeg right at the end is the move that pulls everything together. The cream rounds out the acidity, the nutmeg amplifies the seafood sweetness without anyone tasting “nutmeg."

Chef Tips

• Use real bay (small) scallops, not sea scallops; sea scallops are too big for this preparation and cook unevenly when tossed with pasta
• Pat the scallops dry after marinating before sauteing; wet scallops steam instead of sear
• Don’t overcook the scallops; pull them at exactly 2 minutes when they’re just opaque, they finish cooking in the warm sauce
• Reserve a half cup of pasta water; if the sauce gets too thick when tossed with the noodles, a splash loosens it back up

Variations

• Substitute shrimp, calamari, or lump crab for the scallops for different seafood pasta versions
• Use angel hair pasta or linguine in place of vermicelli for different texture
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a spicier arrabbiata-leaning version