Fennel

Black and White and Green All Over

by:
January 27, 2011
4.5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

In need of an ultra-quick recipe for a way too busy week, I really needed a square meal. Inspired by upland cress and a gorgeous variegated black cress of some sort, I paired these with fennel bulb, squid ink fettuccine, and sea scallops. The Meyer's lemon and Maldon salt are important to the flavor. - Sagegreen —Sagegreen

Test Kitchen Notes

The name of this recipe says it all! Sagegreen’s ingenious concoction marries vibrant colors, tastes, and textures. The black pasta, studded with a generous mix of fresh greens and topped with succulent scallops melts in your mouth. I loved the contrast of tender seafood, chewy pasta, tangy arugula and crunchy slivers of fennel. The sharp and pungent Meyer lemon juice and zest give this dish a bright finish. It is a surprisingly light meal and takes minutes to prepare. I made my version a little less healthy by adding a big dollop of crème fraîche to each serving. Delicious! —JoanG

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 10 ounces fresh sea scallops
  • glug of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Maldon salt flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh milled black and green peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup minced white onions
  • 1/8 cup shaved fennel bulb
  • zest of Meyer's lemon
  • juice of Meyer's lemon
  • splash of dry white wine
  • 2 cups cooked squid ink artisan fettuccine, al dente
  • 1/2 cup mixed greens, such as upland and variegated cress, arugula or mustard greens, chopped
  • 3 ounces chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
  • 1 ounce chopped fennel fronds
  • Maldon salt and pepper seasoning to taste
  • fresh Meyer's lemon wedges for garnish
Directions
  1. Pat the sea scallops dry. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy pan with a small amount of olive oil to medium high. Sear the scallops until golden brown on one side and then turn over. While the other side is lightly browning, quickly add the onions, shaved fennel, and lemon zest. Do not overcook the scallops; let them remain plump and tender. The dish will be ready within 1-2 minutes from here.
  2. Deglaze the pan with lemon juice and white wine. Stir in the cooked fettuccine. Add the mix of greens. As soon as they begin to wilt, plate. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with a wedge of lemon.
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3 Reviews

Sagegreen February 10, 2011
Thank you JoanG for your lovely review!
 
hardlikearmour January 27, 2011
I love some tasty scallops. The color contrast is really cool, the scallops really "pop"! Nicely done.
 
Sagegreen January 27, 2011
Thanks! The photos show the scallops underseared, but they were delicious. Hope to catch up viewing recipes this weekend.