Squid Ink Pasta with Scallops, Tomatoes and Basil

Last weekend I went camping in Joshua Tree. It was an amazing amazing experience but by the time I got home I was ready to leave my Lara Bar/Apple/Hummus meals behind me and make some nice pasta. I picked up this squid ink pasta from Trader Joe’s a while back and hadn’t had the chance to try it yet. I’ve always like squid ink pasta, it’s super popular in Southern Italian cuisine, especially when it’s a seafood pasta. I worked at the Fish Shop during the day so I brought home these beautiful scallops :). Maybe I’m biased but I think they’re the bessssst. These roasted tomatoes are also a new Trader Joe’s item that are bomb.com.

{serves 2}

  • 6 BIG scallops
  • 1 pack squid ink pasta
  • 10 fresh cherry tomatoes
  • 10 roasted dried tomatoes (in oil)
  • 1 big handful fresh basil
  • 3 tbsp (roughly) olive oil
  • 1 pat butter
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • a splash of white wine (optional)
  1. boil water and cook pasta according to instructions
  2. gently clean scallops with a wet paper towel
  3. heat 1.5 tbsp olive oil and butter in a pan over low heat, allow the butter to start to brown, add nutmeg
  4. add scallops gently (tongs are great for this)
  5. let scallops cook on each side for about 2 minutes then flip them, they should be just starting to get some color on the bottom
  6. when they start to stick to the pan add a splash of wine to deglaze the pan
  7. when they are pure white and just starting to brown remove them from the pan, set them on a plate in the oven to keep warm
  8. strain pasta then add it back to the pasta bowl, drizzle with remaining olive oil, halve tomatoes and add them to the pasta
  9. serve pasta and top with three scallops each, drizzle with sauce from the scallop pan
  10. slice basil and use it to garnish, parmesan and red pepper flakes optional!

© 2018, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

Smoked Yellowtail, Baked White Bean and Roasted Tomato Salad

For anyone who thinks salads can’t be exciting dinners, I have to disagree. We’ve been focussing on dinner salads for the past couple of weeks. It’s quick, versatile, cheap and easy. This one was especially notable. We picked up some smoked yellowtail at Seaside Market and I kind of based the dinner around that. I used to bake beans like this in college all the time. I lived with three girls who all loved to cook and had similar tastes and this was one of our favorite drunk snacks. We’d all end up back in the living room after a night on the town and I’d inevitably toss together some white beans (cannellini beans) and nuts with some mustard, tahini and vinegar mixture and throw them in the oven- side note, I’m kind of known for my strange drunk snacks. Anyways don’t knock it ’til you try it, it sounds kind of funky but it’s quite good. Also roasted tomatoes are never a bad idea and of course I have unending fondness for soft boiled eggs <3

{serves 2}

  • 1 can cannellini beans
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 lemon
  • Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
  • a drizzle olive oil
  •  1 tbsp tahini
  • 2 rosemary sprigs, stemmed and chopped
  • 2 thyme sprigs, stemmed
  • 2 eggs
  • 14 cherry tomatoes
  • 8 oz smoked fish
  • pita chips (optional)
  • avocado ! (optional)
  • 3 handfuls mixed greens
  • 1 bell pepper
  1. pre-heat oven to 350ºF
  2. soft boil eggs; boil a small pot of water then turn it down to a simmer, add the eggs gently and cook for 6-7 minutes then remove w/ a slotted spoon and put in an ice bath for a few minutes –or hard boil them if that’s more your speed
  3. drain beans and transfer to a medium sized bowl; add tahini, mustard, balsamic, lemon juice, herbs and Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
  4. line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread beans on one half, then toss tomatoes in same bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil
  5. spread them on the other half of the baking sheet
  6. bake for about 30 minutes, checking and turning every so often after the first 15 minutes
  7. rinse greens and chop, divide between two bowls
  8. chop bell pepper and add that on top; slice fish and throw that in
  9. let the beans and tomatoes cool slightly when finished them add them to the party and lastly top with the egg and avo! great with a vinaigrette and maybe a glass of crisp rose

© 2018, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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