Scallops With Linguine

Justin passed his license test Tuesday. He parallel parked "close to perfect," according to the examiner. He came home and ate an entire pot of spaghetti. Dave clapped him on the back. Tyler said, "Welcome to the club, brother." They do not say brother often. They meant it.

Amber started her shelter internship Monday. She came home Monday night at 6, ate dinner, and went to her room to process. Tuesday she was the same. By Wednesday she came out. She said, "Mom. This is hard." I said, "Baby." She said, "I can do it." I said, "I know." She said, "I love you." That is how she tells me about her day now — not in details but in these brief conversations at dinner. I respect her confidentiality. The shelter women are not her stories to tell. I am proud of her for knowing that.

Drove Wednesday, a Des Moines run.

Josie had her piano recital Thursday at the school. She played Moonlight Sonata (simplified) and made two mistakes that I did not notice until she pointed them out afterward. She curtsied. Gayle could not come to the recital — too far, too tired. We recorded it. Gayle watched it back at home. She said, "That is a musician." Josie has decided, after the recital, that she wants to take private lessons. I told her we would work it out. We will.

Book two at 47,000. Solid week.

Justin’s victory lap that Tuesday was a pot of plain spaghetti, which felt exactly right for him — but by the end of the week, with Amber finding her footing at the shelter and Josie taking her bow at that piano, I wanted something that honored all of it just a little more. Scallops with linguine has that same comforting pasta base Justin loves, but it feels celebratory too — the kind of dinner you make when the week quietly handed your kids something they’ll carry forward. It came together fast on a Friday, which was exactly what I needed after Des Moines and 47,000 words and everything in between.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

12 oz linguine
1 lb sea scallops, patted dry
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside.
Season the scallops. Pat scallops thoroughly dry with paper towels — this is key for a good sear. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
Sear the scallops. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add scallops in a single layer without crowding the pan. Sear 2 minutes per side until a golden crust forms. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Build the sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in white wine and broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly reduced.
Finish with butter and lemon. Remove pan from heat and stir in butter and lemon juice until the butter is melted and the sauce is glossy. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
Combine. Add the drained linguine to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Gently nestle the seared scallops on top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Serve. Plate immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Scallops With Linguine — The Week Everyone Grew Up a Little