Seafood Pasta Delight
My friends thought it was strange that I packed a wok when I visited them. That was, until I prepared this wonderful shrimp and scallop pasta. It makes dinner with those I care about a special occasion now.
My friends thought it was strange that I packed a wok when I visited them. That was, until I prepared this wonderful shrimp and scallop pasta. It makes dinner with those I care about a special occasion now.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- dash pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or additional chicken broth
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 12 ounces uncooked vermicelli
- 4 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 pound sea scallops
- 1/2 pound uncooked medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 medium sweet red pepper julienned
- 1 medium sweet yellow pepper julienned
- 1 cup fresh or frozen sugar snap peas
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
- Carbohydrate 3.9117232432838 g
- Cholesterol 146.595490375 mg
- Fat 18.6512215220472 g
- Fiber 0.470065491946386 g
- Protein 33.7040691210336 g
- Saturated Fat 4.88236452109735 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (263g)
- Sodium 632.195713333135 mg
- Sugar 3.44165775133742 g
- Trans Fat 1.76190941670942 g
- Calories 327 calories
Step-by-step
- In a small bowl, mix the first seven ingredients until smooth.
- Cook vermicelli according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add scallops and shrimp; stir-fry 3-4 minutes or until scallops are firm and opaque and shrimp turn pink.
- Remove from pan.
- Stir-fry peppers, snap peas, garlic and ginger in remaining olive oil 3-5 minutes or just until vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Stir cornstarch mixture and add to pan.
- Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
- Return seafood to pan; heat through.
- Stir in sesame oil.
- Drain vermicelli; add to pan and toss to combine.
Scanning the ingredients reveals what goes into the pan, but it hides the sequence required to keep seafood tender and vegetables crisp. When combining delicate proteins with slender pasta and aromatics, thermal control dictates the final texture rather than just the cooking time. High heat prevents the seafood from releasing too much water and turning rubbery.
- Pat the sea scallops thoroughly with dry paper towels before searing, because surface moisture prevents the desired golden crust from forming on medium-high heat.
- Cut the sweet red and yellow peppers into uniform julienne strips measuring roughly a quarter-inch wide so they finish softening at the exact same rate as the snap peas.
- Whisk the cornstarch completely into the cold chicken broth and soy sauce mixture before applying heat, otherwise lumps will form when the liquid hits the hot skillet.
- Remove the shrimp and scallops from the skillet as soon as they turn opaque at 3 to 4 minutes to avoid overcooking them while the vegetables finish.
Precision during the final toss integrates the starch and aromatics evenly without breaking the vermicelli noodles. Maintaining steady movement throughout the stir-fry stages ensures consistent heat distribution across all components.
