Scallops and Spaghettini

Like I said in my last post, I tend to get really inspired to be creative in the kitchen whenever a new season of Hell's Kitchen is on. I've been watching season 5, and I just love how Gordon Ramsey yells at the chefs... they know it's for their own good :P Anyways, having seen the chefs work with scallops often, I decided to whip up a fancy scallop and pasta dish for my mom for her special birthday lunch. Let me be clear that this was a very random recipe, but I will try to document the ingredients and method to the best of my abilities.

Scallops and Spaghettini For Two

Ingredients:
6 thin slices of Yukon Gold potatoes
1 tsp each tarragon and rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
2 ounces dry spaghettini (1 cup cooked pasta)
1 cup broccoli florets
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, julienned
2 tbsp olive oil
6 uncooked scallops
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
1. Toss the potatoes with tarragon, rosemary, some salt and 1 tbsp olive oil. Wrap in an aluminum foil packet and place in a 350 degree oven for 10-15mins until tender.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the spaghettini according to package directions. When the pasta is half-cooked, add in the broccoli and allow those to cook with the spaghettini. Remove pasta and broccoli from the boiling water while the pasta is slightly undercooked. Set aside
3. Place an empty skillet over medium-high heat for one minute; then add 2 tbsp of olive oil, continuing to heat for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, season the scallops with salt and pepper.
4. Add the scallops to the pan and fry over medium-high heat until cooked through (approximately 2 minutes per side). Remove the scallops and set aside on a heated plate, but keep the oil and scallop juices in the pan.
5. To the pan, add in the garlic and onions. Cook over medium heat until fragrant, then add in the broccoli and the spaghettini.
6. Continue to mix and fry the pasta and vegetables until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
7. By this time, the potatoes should be finished baking. Remove them from the oven.
7. Plate the dish by placing 1/2 a cup of pasta in one corner of a plate, and topping with one tablespoon of toasted pine nuts. On the opposite corner of the plate (assuming your plate is square) place 3 potato medallions, top each medallion with 1 scallop. Drizzle a home-made or commercially prepared vinegar-based sweet glaze over the scallops and the plate... just be creative!

Jo's Very Quick Glaze
Method: Whisk together 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp of raspberry preserves in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium, until sugar is fully dissolved and the sauce looks slightly "drizzl-able" (thick) then remove from heat. Use immediately.

Well, it was a lot of fun making this fancy looking dish for my mom. She really thought it looked like something off of Hell's Kitchen... I don't know if that's suppose to be a complement or not, but I'll take it :P Since it was just my mom and I hanging around the house for lunch, this made-for-two dish was perfect. It was nice and light, and very simple