Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the rice and cook, uncovered, 30 to 32 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Snap off and discard the tough, woody stem ends of the asparagus; cut into 1-inch pieces (keeping the pointed tips intact). Pull off and discard the tough string that runs the length of each snap pea pod. Halve the peas crosswise. Roughly chop the peppers. Halve the lemon crosswise; remove the seeds. Roughly chop the pistachios. Pick the mint leaves off the stems.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the asparagus pieces and halved peas; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and the spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat. Transfer to the pot of cooked rice. Add the chopped peppers, mascarpone, the juice of 1 lemon half, and as much of the chile paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Using your hands, remove and discard the tough side muscle from each scallop. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, and enough of the spice blend to coat (you may have extra). In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned scallops in an even layer. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Flip the scallops, then add the butter, the juice of the remaining lemon half (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring constantly and spooning the sauce over the scallops, 1 to 2 minutes, or until coated and cooked through. Turn off the heat. Serve the finished rice topped with the cooked scallops (including any sauce from the pan). Garnish with the chopped pistachios and mint leaves (tearing just before adding). Enjoy!