I love all kinds of seafood, but shellfish are among my favorites, and scallops are my favorite type of shellfish. They are very healthy and nutritious, and are very versatile in the kitchen. You can cook them in so many delectable ways. Yum, yum! I also love, love, love pasta, and again, the possibilities are endless on the varieties of pasta dishes. Mixing scallops and pasta together … a little bit of Heaven.
I hate it when Larry goes shopping. It’s always a crap shoot when he does because you just never know what he is going to come home with. But, when he comes home with only bits and pieces of things I need, I summon my muse and get even more creative than normal. The other day Larry bought scallop pieces rather than whole scallops, so when it came time to cooking them, I did not have enough scallops for the dish I was preparing. I hate it when this happens. By the time I realized I did not have enough scallops for a meal for the two of us, everything else was already prepared, and I had to quickly rummage through the fridge to see what I could add to my recipe that would not take a lot of additional preparation time and effort. I had some ham that was already cooked, so I added that to the recipe. Ham and scallops go together very well, and when I added the mushrooms and asparagus, it all came together perfectly, especially when served with homemade olive bread and a light sauvignon blanc. Delicious!
Scallops, Ham and Vegetable Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce
1 lb sea scallops, cleaned and rinsed
1 lb cooked ham, cubed or sliced
1 TBSP garlic
1 shallot, sliced very thin
3-4 tomatoes, cubed – I used heirlooms
2 cups asparagus, cut into pieces about 1-2 inches
2 cups sliced mushrooms
salt & pepper to taste
1/2- 3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy whipping cream’
1/2 cup or so of mozzarella cheese
1 TBSP lemon juice
1-2 tsp each, fresh oregano, thyme and basil
olive oil and butter for cooking
cooked pasta – I used spaghetti
Cook the scallops in the butter and olive oil until they are browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Once the scallops are cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside.
Once the scallops have been removed, add the wine to the skillet and cook it down for about 2-3 minutes, making sure to scrape all the drippings from the scallops. Then add the tomatoes, garlic, shallots, cream and cheese and combine everything together well.
Mix everything together well and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
While the sauce is cooking, cook the mushrooms and asparagus in olive oil until they are tender. I prefer the smaller asparagus, but if you are using larger ones, par-boil them first for about 3-4 minutes.
When the vegetables are cooked, add them to the sauce along with the scallops and ham. Mix everything together well. Cook just long enough to heat everything up. Incorporate the herbs and the lemon juice then serve it over pasta.
Now it is time to sit back, relax and enjoy.
Honestly, “scallops and ham” didn’t sound good at first, but as I read along it began to get yummier, and by the time I saw that pic I really wanted some! 😍
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Thank you. When you do make it, please let me know what you think.. You could always do it with just either the ham OR the scallops too. 🙂
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Looks tasteful.
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Thank you. I was very pleased with the creamy tomato sauce. it tied everything together very well. 🙂
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Would love to try this recipe at home. What other seafood can I substitute scallops for?
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Thank you. Shrimp would be an excellent choice, or if you do not want or like shellfish, you could use any kind of white fish. You don’t want anything to strong or over-powering.
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You made me laugh with the comment about Larry and shopping. Maybe he does it on purpose to enhance your creativity? Do you not give him a list? I’ve heard that some people do certain things in a less than excellent way in hopes that they are never asked to do that again. Maybe he’s giving you a hint? No more shopping for Larry?
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If only! I give him a list and he only comes back with some of the stuff. His main reason is that he is notoriously CHEAP! When we first got together and one of the few times we went shopping together, I would put stuff in the cart and he would take it out. This would happen a couple of times , and each time he would say “this is so not on sale”. I DON’T CARE if it’s on sale or not, that’s what I need/want! That was when he lost his shopping privileges. He goes rogue on me though sometimes, and goes shopping on his own, coming back with only God knows what. 🙂
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Too funny.
I consider myself privilaged. While I do look at the price (sometimes and not too closely), if I need/ want something, I do grab it.
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Well that’s just it. We are too. Money is not a problem for us. We are very comfortable. Larry is just CHEAP! Always has been. Money was always a little on the tight side when we were growing up, for Larry more so than for me because he is the youngest of 9 and I am an only child, but we both had to learn how to save our pennies. But that is definitely not the case any more. It is so FRUSTRATING! We have earned our good life. I want to be able to enjoy it too. 🙂
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I want this creamy dish. Is it okay to eat for breakfast? (Asking for a friend. lol) 🤣
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🙂 🙂 🙂 Sure, it’s good any time. 🙂
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Like!! I blog frequently and I really thank you for your content. The article has truly peaked my interest.
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Thank you.
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