Because the Mother's Day buffet knocked us all out of commission for the day, I couldn't cook the orzo and bay scallops dish I'd planned for dinner. Last night, though, was my chance.
It was a hit! I got the recipe here. Jenny had the idea to add a squeeze of lemon juice which I thought made it even tastier and helped cut through the cream.
From the recipe website:
Creamy Orzo with Bay
Scallops, Asparagus and Parmesan
By Celeste Ward
Ingredients:
1 lb. bay
scallops
1/2 cup yellow onion,
diced
1 lb. orzo
pasta
1 cup asparagus, cut into
1 inch pieces
5 Tbsp butter or
margarine, divided
1/2 cup grated parmesan
cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping
cream
1 Tbsp fresh parsley,
chopped, plus more for garnish
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black
pepper, to taste
Directions:
Rinse scallops and pat
dry. Set to the side.
Melt 1 tbsp of the butter
in a large skillet over medium heat. Add
the onion and sauté until soft, about 4 - 5 minutes. Remove the onions to a plate and set
aside.
Next, add 2 tbsp of the
butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the prepared scallops and sauté for 4 - 5
minutes. Place scallops on a heated
platter and cover with foil.
Fill a large sauce pan of
water with 4 - 6 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and
stir.
After the orzo has been
boiling for 5 minutes, add the asparagus to the same pot and continue to cook
for 5 additional minutes. Once the orzo
and asparagus are cooked and tender, drain well and pour into a large mixing
bowl.
Quickly add the parmesan
cheese and the final 2 tbsp of butter to the orzo and asparagus mixture. Stir
thoroughly, allowing both the cheese and butter to melt. Slowly add the cream,
while stirring. Next, add the sautéed
onions, scallops and fresh parsley. Mix
well. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional parsley.
