Ingredients

5 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound fresh spinach leaves, washed, drained and coursely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

12 large sea scallops (approximately 3/4 lb) cut in half

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

1/2 cup wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Scallops with spinach

Capesante con Spinaci

Serves 4

Printable Version

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic in a large saute pan set on medium high heat until it starts to sizzle and the garlic begins browning, about 4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, a hand full of spinach leaves, and the lemon juice and cook, tossing for one minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Continue adding and tossing the remaining spinavh until wilted. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Arrange the cooked spinach in the center or 4 small serving plates.

Wipe the pan clean and heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil over high-heat until it starts to sizzle. Season the scallops with 1/4 teaspoon of the remainingsalt and the remaining pepper. When the pan is smoking, add the scallops from the pan and arrange around the spinach on each serving plate.

Put the pan back on high heat and add the remaining olive oil and the shallots and saute for no more than 30 seconds, Add the white wine, parsley and the remaining salt. Cook over high heat until reduced by half, about 1 1/2-2 minutes, until it has a syrupy consistancy. Spoon over the scallops and spinach and serve.