4 teaspoons lemon zest 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 1/3 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided 1 cup flat leaf parsley leaves 1/4 cup basil leaves plus 4 basil sprigs for garnish 1/2 cup olive oil plus 2 to 3 tablespoons extra for sauteing the scallops 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled Kosher salt 1 pound linguine Water 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops, with side muscles removed
Freshly ground black pepper
Place lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 cup of the cheese, parsley, basil, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender. Puree until mixture is smooth. Taste, and if desired, add a little extra salt.
Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander and return to pan. Toss with lemon pesto and season with more salt if needed. Cover and keep warm.
Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. When hot, but not smoking, add scallops and cook until golden brown on both side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Salt and pepper scallops well.
Divide the pasta among 4 shallow bowls. Divide scallops and arrange on top of the pasta in each bowl. Garnish each serving with a basil sprig and sprinkle with some of the remaining cheese. Serves 4.
Per serving: 936 calories; 53 g fat (12 g saturated fat; 51 percent calories from fat); 70 g carbohydrates; 190 mg cholesterol; 1,581 mg sodium; 47 g protein; 4 g fiber.
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