Love & Scallops

[Belated Valentine's post, but I've been on vacation!]

The Boyfriend and I decided to spend Valentine’s Day in instead of going out to dinner. We’re a low-key couple, what can I say. I’d much prefer catching up with my love over a glass of wine while I cook dinner instead of throwing on a dress and heels and spending money at a restaurant. I much prefer restaurants on random nights, not busy holidays.

We took care of a cat and its house over the weekend and we decided to cook dinner there, since it would be free from roommates and pets (no offense to either). It was kind of hard to leave these two guys:

For our Valentine’s Day dinner I decided to cook us something I have never made before:

I found a recipe in the Bon Appetit cookbook that turned out to be delicious. And fast!

1. Over medium heat, cook the zest from one lemon in 1 cup dry white wine. Add scallops and cook until opaque, 1-2 minutes on each side.

2. Remove scallops and set aside in a bowl. Turn up the heat on the wine and cook down the liquid, about 6 minutes.

3. Return heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of mustard and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add 3 more tablespoons of butter, one at a time, whisking until the sauce comes together.

4. Add the scallops and their juices back into the pan and cook them until hot, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. While the scallops cook, boil a large handful of angel hair pasta.

5. Toss the pasta with a tablespoon of butter once cooked. Put a serving on each plate and top with the scallops and sauce.

While I cooked we sipped wine, nibbled edamame, and listened to some tunes, including our song.

By the way, cookbooks are a great way to keep laptops safe from spills on the counter.

Dinner was simple and small, but it packed a delicious punch.

It was a good day.