As You Like It.
Scallops are a favorite of mine, and very possibly my favorite seafood. They are tender and sweet, and are easy to use in a variety of preparations.
I’ve been lucky to get my scallops at our farmers market. You might think, “David lives in the middle of the desert… scallops?” Yes! White Cane Salmon, based in Alaska, brings them to Tucson and sells them at the Heirloom Farmers Markets; they are fantastic. They also have a variety of other fish and seafood. If you are a Tucsonan, definitely stop by and see what Rebecca and Brock have to offer!
When I posted a photograph of this recipe on social media (after first making it), someone commented, “Why are you using two proteins?” I thought about that for a moment, then responded that it is because scallops and prosciutto/pancetta/bacon are a traditional pairing. But after I thought more about it, I realized that different proteins are often paired together in recipes. Bacon cheeseburger. Veal Oscar. Roasted turkey with sausage stuffing. Shrimp and sausage gumbo. Ordinary bacon and eggs, for that matter.
The prosciutto adds a very nice texture and saltiness to the dish. It would be fine without it, if that’s your preference. If you want a vegetarian version of this recipe, the asparagus, orange, and cream together make a wonderful combination! Isn’t that the nice thing about recipes? You can change anything you want to make it yours, and make it appeal to your palate.
~ David
Spaghetti with Scallops, Asparagus, and Prosciutto
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of sea scallops
- 8 ounces asparagus
- 4 slices prosciutto, divided
- 6 ounces spaghetti
- salt
- freshly ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 large shallot, trimmed, peeled, and sliced pole to pole
- finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Remove tough muscle from the scallops, if necessary, then slice in half horizontally.
- Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus and discard; slice the remainder into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
- In a small skillet, sauté one slice of prosciutto whole until crisp. Slice or break into batons or shards. This will be used for garnishing the dish. Thinly slice the remaining uncooked prosciutto.
- Prepare or measure all the remaining ingredients and have them ready to cook.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt well with 2 to 3 tablespoons salt. Add the pasta and cook per the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and, when melted, add the sliced scallops; sauté until golden brown — about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon butter and sauté the shallots until soft, then add the sliced prosciutto, and cook until the prosciutto has turned a bit pink (its color lightens as it cooks).
- Add the asparagus pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes, until asparagus is crisp-tender.
- Add the zest of the orange and stir to distribute.
- Add the cream and mix well, cooking until thickened. Remove from the heat until pasta is ready.
- When the pasta is cooked al dente, return the scallops to the sauce and stir to coat them. Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet along with 1/4 cup of pasta water, adding more water if needed to make a silky sauce. Taste the sauce and season with salt and white pepper, as needed.
- Divide between two pasta bowls and serve immediately topped with the batons/shards of prosciutto.
- Serves 2; can be doubled
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Lisa Harper
December 30, 2023 at 5:21 amThis recipe makes me dream. It looks lovely and doubtless tastes great. I am at the Pritikin Institute in Miami eating veggies and no salt, sugar, fat, bread or pasta.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2023 at 3:20 pmI am sure Pritikin doesn’t even want you reading this recipe! But it will all be over soon and then you can make it for Charlie!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
December 30, 2023 at 8:58 amScallops in the desert, that might make you wonder but not prosciutto and scallops. That is a delicious combination and your recipe sounds great.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2023 at 3:19 pmI always love the looks I get when I tell people I buy fish at our farmers market! But it’s so good and I feel very lucky. Happy New Year, Karen — wishing you all the best.
Barb
December 30, 2023 at 9:06 amYum!!! This dish looks and sounds fabulous! I will be making it soon.
Happy New Year!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2023 at 3:18 pmThanks, Barb — I hope you enjoy it!
Christina Conte
December 30, 2023 at 1:09 pmTwo proteins? Whaaaat? People are truly so bizarre! Love this dish and can almost taste it! Thanks for the delicious recipes, David! Keep them coming and have a Happy New Year! 🎆
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2023 at 3:18 pmThanks, Christina — I was surprised by his reaction but he said he is a purist and only likes one protein at a time. To each their own! Happy New Year!
Christina Conte
December 31, 2023 at 5:52 pmThat’s not a purist, that’s rigidity! Haha!
I wanted to pop back here to say thank you for the lovely review on the brandy butter! So happy you enjoyed it, David. Just finished one batch and need to make more as we still have more Christmas pud!
Happy new year!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:50 pmWe were just gifted another plum pudding, so there will be more brandy butter in my future! One of the guests at the table was recovering from a cold and insisted on eating the last of the brandy butter, because it was “medicinal.“ I like the way she thinks!
Mad Dog
December 30, 2023 at 2:10 pm“Why are you using two proteins?” – Why not!
That looks delicious and something light after all the Christmas excess.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2023 at 3:17 pmI love “why not?”! Thanks, Mad Dog — and Happy New Year.
Eha Carr
December 30, 2023 at 3:07 pmOh! With the New Year but 15 hours away here how I wish I was close enough to get both the scallops and asparagus to enjoy tonight . . . what a perfect recipe incorporating four of my very favourite foods . . . Perfect simplicity I’ll access soonest . . . our scallops are beautiful and local asparagus does seem to be in the markets . . . Hope both of you well and ready for the new and hopefully better year . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
December 30, 2023 at 3:16 pmI’m so pleased you like this dish, Eha — quite simple and very tasty! Wishing you a wonderful new year, as well. I hope for a better year, as well.
Mimi Rippee
December 30, 2023 at 4:43 pmPeople are bizarre. I don’t even look at prosciutto as a protein when it’s used like this, to enhance a dish. Bacon as well, or pancetta. You are so lucky to be able to buy fresh seafood in Tucson! Happy New Year!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:56 pmI agree… We are so lucky to have good seafood available here in Tucson! Thanks for all your wonderful comments throughout the year, Mimi!
sherry
December 30, 2023 at 6:06 pmmy word, people are weird. two proteins? have as many as you like I say 🙂 I love scallops and asparagus and used to love prosciutto in my pig-eating days. Happy new year to you and yours David!! thanks for being a (virtual) friend this year and see you in 2024!
cheers
sherry
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:55 pmThanks, Sherry. I wonder what we would do without our virtual friends in the blogosphere! I’m very grateful for your friendship, as well. And I look forward to lots of wonderful recipes in 2024.
Gerlinde de Broekert
December 30, 2023 at 9:07 pmWhat a wonderful recipe David. Hopefully I find some time to make it.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:54 pmI hope you like it, Gerlinde!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
December 31, 2023 at 6:12 amThis looks delicious, David! I love scallops, too. We had them (along with six other fishes) on Christmas Eve this year. And the pairing with prosciutto sounds delightful. (I don’t know what that commenter was even talking about! Since when was not combining two proteins a “rule”? That would eliminate an awful lot of classic dishes.)
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:53 pmI like the idea of rules being made to be broken! If we didn’t start combining new flavors, all the food would remain the same. Your Christmas Eve dinner sounds wonderful — oh, to be at your table!
Ronit Penso
December 31, 2023 at 2:21 pmI’m a big scallops fan, so love everything about this dish!
No doubt that whoever asked about “two proteins” doesn’t know much about cooking. With such people I like to say “more for me”! 😀
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:51 pmI’m definitely in the “more for me” camp! I suppose the world is full of all kinds of people… those who won’t let hot and cold food touch on their plate, people who don’t want different flavors mixed. It’s what makes the world what it is!
Velva
January 1, 2024 at 5:04 pmHappy New Year!
Prosciutto and scallops is a delightful combination. The prosciutto adds a little extra fat and saltiness which the scallops crave and want (laugh). This looks amazingly delicious.
Velva
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:50 pmWell, Velva, then the scallops are like me! Craving a little extra salt and fat.
Susan Manfull
January 3, 2024 at 9:00 amThis bright meal is just what the doctor ordered during this string of cloudy days! It looks absolutely delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 3, 2024 at 4:49 pmIt would be a little breath of spring in your winter, Susan. Oddly, it’s very cloudy and dark here right now. Not our usual sunny!
angiesrecipes
January 5, 2024 at 9:17 pmYou can’t beat the combo of prosciutto and scallops…this looks lipsmackingly delicious, David.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 6, 2024 at 9:16 amIt is a wonderful combination — I made it again last evening with pancetta. So good!
angiesrecipes
January 5, 2024 at 9:18 pmYou can’t beat the combo of prosciutto and scallops…this looks lipsmackingly delicious, David.
I hope that my comment went through…
Cocoa & Lavender
January 6, 2024 at 9:17 amYes — they are going through perfectly! I wish we didn’t have all these technical nightmares!
Ron
January 6, 2024 at 5:50 amDavid, what a wonderful dish and a recipe I think even I can make these days. I was asked a similar question to your two protein one and my answer was simply because it’s my blog site and it’s my recipe. Next thing they will be complaining because I had my noodles of mashed potatoes, with gravy of course.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 6, 2024 at 9:18 amI like your response, Ron. Because it’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to. Perfect!
Jeff the Chef
January 6, 2024 at 10:00 am…as if there were some rule about using only one protein. I’ll see your bacon cheeseburger, and I’ll add a second patty, more cheese, and top it with a fried egg! I love scallops, but I almost never make them at home. I think this recipe might change that!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 6, 2024 at 10:52 amThere was once a restaurant here that served a burger with cheese, pork belly, and egg — jeez, it was heaven, Jeff. As for the scallops? Easiest seafood to make well… but also easy to overcook!
Marcelle
January 8, 2024 at 10:10 amI should have eaten lunch before I read this post lol Now I’m hungry and craving spaghetti and scallops. Your pictures are always so good! This pasta dish with two proteins sure looks delicious to me! 😊🍽️
Cocoa & Lavender
January 8, 2024 at 2:16 pmI make it a point never to read blogs before I’ve eaten! Otherwise, I head to the kitchen and start making things that I don’t really need… Like your triple chocolate brownies!
I’m being very well-behaved, and making your black-eyed peas and ham soup instead.
Pauline McNee
January 11, 2024 at 4:10 pmNext to mud crab I think scallops are my favourite seafood as well David, but even here in the tropics there seems to be a problem with finding fresh ones. Very strange. The fish shops sell frozen bags of them, and thankfully scallops still seem to retain their texture and flavour when thawed out. How wonderful you have access to wonderful scallops, I would be buying them regularly in your situation. This recipe looks elegant and delicious, and I would love to try it. The perfect meal for 2. Happy New Year, I’m slowly catching up.
David Scott Allen
January 12, 2024 at 7:42 amWell, I don’t know mud crab but if you like it, Pauline, I bet I would too! I agree that scallops hold their flavor and texture pretty well after freezing — I just make sure I drain them well on paper towels in the fridge to leech out any excess water. It is a perfect little meal for two! Hope you are doing well in the New Year!
Raymund
January 16, 2024 at 2:02 pmI can’t wait to try this recipe myself, i too love scallops but they are quite pricey in this side of the world
Cocoa & Lavender
January 17, 2024 at 1:52 pmUntil this post, Raymund, I was not aware of the cost of scallops in your region. A friend made this with shrimp the other day and reported it was delicious.
David
January 27, 2024 at 8:22 amIf ever there was a reason to celebrate a Thursday evening, it must include this dish. It worked for us. Amazing through and through. 💥 My favorite part was pairing any ingredient in the dish with a spoonful of the cream broth. Everything works and they all work so well together, along with the subtle orange that shines through. My wife said
“I’m inhaling this!” 😄
We paired it with a Viognier. So enjoyable. One can never go wrong by your taste,
Thanks and take care my friend. 🥂
David
PS: shhh. Although we made this two nights ago, a friend is coming over for dinner tonight so we are making this again!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 27, 2024 at 8:47 amThank you, David — that is a seriously wonderful review, and I very much appreciate it! And so glad you liked the Viognier with the pasta!
I won’t tell anyone you are repeating this for your friend — but, if he finds out, you can always say that you just wanted to make sure it was perfect before serving it to him!
Valentina
January 19, 2024 at 10:40 pmI’m all about the scallop + prosciutto pairing. What a wonderful recipe with beautiful ingredients. I think I’d like it with shrimp, too. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
January 20, 2024 at 2:11 amThanks, Valentina — I definitely want to try it with shrimp, as well.