Green Goddess Pasta Salad with Herbed Scallops

By AzWench

Dry the scallops well with paper towels before coating with the herbs so they stick and don’t slide off while cooking.

Ingredients

• FOR THE SALAD, WHISK:
• 2 tablespoon each mayonnaise and buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon each minced fresh parsley and scallions
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoon each white wine vinegar and chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 ⁄4 teaspoon each Dijon mustard, anchovy paste, and minced garlic
• BLANCH:
• 1 ⁄2 cup chopped asparagus
• 1 ⁄2 cup sliced radishes
• COOK:
• 4 ounces dry orzo pasta
• FOR THE SCALLOPS, COMBINE:
• 2 tablespoon each minced fresh tarragon and parsley
• 6 sea scallops, feet removed, seasoned with salt (3/4–1 lb.)
• HEAT:
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Preparation

Step 1

For the salad, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, 1 tablespoon parsley, scallions, vinegar, 1 1⁄2 teaspoon tarragon, Dijon, anchovy paste, and garlic in a large bowl; chill.

Blanch asparagus and radishes in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 1–2 minutes. Transfer vegetables to an ice water bath; drain and set aside.

Cook pasta in same pot of water according to package directions; drain pasta and rinse under cold water. Toss vegetables and pasta with dressing and chill.

For the scallops, combine 2 tablespoon tarragon and 2 tablespoon parsley in a shallow dish. Dip both sides of scallops into minced herbs.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over high. Add scallops, reduce heat to medium, and cook 3–5 minutes per side. Serve scallops over pasta.

Herbed Chicken Tenders

Swapping out chicken tenders in place of the scallops makes for an equally tasty dish.

COMBINE:
2 Tbsp. each minced fresh tarragon and parsley
6 chicken tenders (12 oz.)
Salt and black pepper
HEAT:
1 Tbsp. canola oil

Combine tarragon and parsley in a shallow dish. Season tenders with salt and pepper, then dip both sides into the minced herbs.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over high. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely tent with foil; let rest 3 minutes.

Serve chicken with pasta.