Shrimp and Scallop Pasta with Lemon, Rapini and Basil

This is a very common week-day dinner in my house. It is simple and fast yet it's clean flavours are familiar and comforting.  

 Shrimp and Scallop Pasta, with Lemon, Rapini and Basil

good lug of olive oil

large pad of butter

1/2 large Spanish onion, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

large pinch chili-flakes 

1 lb tiger shrimp, cleaned and shelled

1 lb large sea scallops, quartered

1 cup chicken stock 

1/2 cup dry white wine
bunch rapini, chopped

1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 pound dry pasta, we used spaghetti

zest and juice of one lemon

250 g fresh goat's milk feta, crumbled

large bunch fresh basil, chopped fine

salt and pepper 

Bring well salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions on box.

Heat olive oil and butter over medium high heat until butter is melted. Add half of the garlic and chili-flakes and cook until fragrant. Dry seafood well with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. Place seafood in pan, in an even layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. If there is not enough room, fry seafood in separate batches to ensure that you are getting some colour on the seafood, rather than boiling it! 

When when seafood is done (about 1-2 minutes total), remove, cut shrimp in half (width wise) and set aside. Add a bit more olive oil and onion to pan. Saute until onion is golden. Add the remaining garlic and the rapini to pan and saute until the rapini begins to soften.

Add wine and deglaze pan by scraping up all the browned bits. Add stock and cook over medium high heat until the liquid has reduced by half. Add tomatoes at the end of the cooking process. Check for seasonings.

When the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain pasta making sure to reserve at least one cup of the pasta water before you draining.

Toss pasta in sauce, add seafood, lemon juice, lemon zest and adjust seasonings.  If pasta seems dry, add in pasta water until desired consistency is reached.

Serve in a large bowl, sprinkled with feta, fresh basil and a good drizzle of great olive oil.