Sherried Scallops over Spaghetti Squash

Posted on Oct 26, 2010 by PeggyPrint Recipe Only | Email Recipe | Leave a Comment
Filed under: All Recipes, Feed Your Party, Gluten Free, Seafood Pin It
Sherried Scallops over Spaghetti Sauce

Through the years friends of mine have asked my advise on how to encourage their kids to enjoy fresh vegetables. This can be a toughy — but not at this time of the year. Spaghetti squash in in season right now and it’s the perfect time to show your brood just how much fun squiggly squash can be.

Don’t let the hour-plus baking time of spaghetti squash dissuade. After all, spaghetti squash is the primary reason microwaves were invented, right?

My 1 1/2 pound (smallish) squash was cooked to perfection in 8 minutes, wrapped in Saran and pricked with a fork. The larger the squash, the longer the cooking time.

Like most of the autumn and winter squash, be very careful when cutting in half; certainly don’t allow kids to attempt this. If you don’t take precautions, you could give yourself a nasty cut. I ALWAYS put a kitchen towel or mat under my cutting board for stability, I take my time and exercise caution.

Spaghetti squash is a great way to appreciate your finer extra virgin olive oils. Its mild and pleasant flavor soaks up and highlights the subtle nuances of the olives. I often enjoy spaghetti squash tossed with my better oils and seasoned with a bit of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Recipe: Sherried Scallops over Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

  • One 1 1/2 pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 sea scallops (dry-packed, if possible)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, optional
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons sherry
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill

Instructions

  1. Wrap squash halves in Saran. Pierce plastic on each squash in 3 places with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place, pricked side up, on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high 8-9 minutes or until tender.
  2. With a fork, pull squash strands from the shells, leaving the shells intact. Toss strands with 2 tablespoons oil and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
  3. While squash is cooking, heat remaining oil and butter, if using, in a large, heavy-bottomed stainless pan to medium-high heat. Whisk paprika and salt into oil. Heat until hot but not smoking.
  4. Place scallops in skillet. Sauté until cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Deglaze pan with sherry and whisk bottom of pan to remove savory bits and pieces of scallops. Cook 1 minute, whisking.
  5. Toss dill and spaghetti squash strands into sherry sauce coating squash with sauce. Fill squash shells with squash strands, top with scallops and serve.

Time: 25 minutes

Number of servings (yield): 2-3 servings (3-4 cups spaghetti squash, unadorned)

Copyright © Peggy Lampman’s dinnerFeed.

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Filed under: All Recipes, Feed Your Party, Gluten Free, Seafood
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