This is a great simple tomato based cream sauce with scallops, tomatoes, cream and vegetables. If you are not found of scallops, a nice white fish like cod, halibut, or tilapia or shrimp will work. This dish offers many possibilities in the ingredients you add. These are some of my favorites, but please feel free to add your favorites.

  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr (includes 30 minutes of marinade time) Longer is you marinde for an extended period
  • Active: 30 minutes

Ingredients (16)

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice for the marinade
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano for the marinade
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 – 15 oz can chopped artichoke hearts in water
  • 2 cups of chopped tomatoes I prefer using fresh plum tomatoes but a can of diced tomatoes will work if drained.
  • 1 cup vodka
  • 2 cups cream
  • 3/4 cup calamata pitted olives halved or black olives are fine
  • 1 cup parmesan
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • Olive oil to saute vegetables
  • 2 teaspoons garlic
  • 1/2 cup olive oil for the marinade and to saute the vegetables
  • Extra parsley for a garnish

Instructions

  1. First marinade the scallops for 1-2 hours in olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper in just a small bowl or baggie.
  2. Then in a large saute pan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear the marinated scallops on medium high heat, 1-2 minutes per side till nice and brown, but not over done. Remove and set on the side covered to keep warm.
  3. Add pasta to boiling water with some salt and cook according to directions.
  4. Saute in remaining olive oil, the onions, garlic for 3 minutes until soft. Add vocka to deglaze pan and cook 1 minute until the alcohol burns off, Next. add artichokes, capers, olives and tomatoes and heat through. Remove from heat and add seasoning, additional pepper is necessary (there is alot of salt in the capers and olives so I don’t think more is necessary) and the cream.
  5. When pasta is done, drain and add to the tomato, vegetable sauce, toss in the scallops and parmesan and toss until heated through. Top with extra grated parmasean cheese. I like slivers, but grated is just fine. If you don’t like parmesan a romano blend or peccerino is also good.
  6. NOTE: Like I mentioned, If you are not a fan of scallops, shrimp works fine, also a nice filet of halibut, cod, or tilapia grilled with the same seasoning will work just as well over the pasta.