It’s mid-April, and we are thinking that we are deep in the pandemic (HA!). The weather had turned warm here in Colorado overnight, as it is prone to do, and next thing you know, we are in full blown Spring, anxiously awaiting the late Colorado snows to take the limbs off our trees.
I had stocked up on an array of pastas from Pappardelle and came across this Spring Orzo. The package contained these beautiful parsley, lemon pepper, and chive orzo noodles–very spring like in color. I had just purchased fresh bay scallops from Maine, saw that the first corn of the year had hit our markets from Mexico, and that chives had recently exploded in my garden. With these ingredients, I set out to make a great dinner for Sue, Jesse, and Maureen. While this dish put a smile on our faces, the pandemic was just beginning.
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1⁄4 cup thinly sliced baby bell peppers 1⁄4 cup dry white wine
2 cups fresh corn kernels 1 cup vegetable stock
1 pound bay scallops, side muscle removed 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1⁄4 cup flour
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
1-pound Pappardelle’s Spring Medley Orzo
(can be ordered online at www.pappardellespasta.com)
1⁄2 cup pasta cooking water
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh chives
Salt/pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, shallot, and bell peppers. Sauté until soft, being careful not to allow the garlic to brown. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add corn and vegetable stock.
Cook over low to medium heat until most of the liquid has cooked off.
Dredge bay scallops in flour. Heat grapeseed oil in a separate skillet over medium heat and add scallops and lemon juice. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and then add mixture to the vegetable skillet.
Add orzo to large pot of salted boiling water and cook until aldente, according to package instructions. Drain orzo, reserving 1⁄2 cup of the water the orzo was cooked in. Add orzo and reserved pasta water to the vegetable/scallop skillet.
Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper, to taste.