Seared Scallops & Lemon-Caper Butter

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Remove any husks and silks from the corn; cut the kernels off the cobs. Cut off and discard the stems of the bell peppers. Halve lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then medium dice. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems. Roughly chop the pickled peppers. Roughly chop the almonds. In a bowl, combine the chopped parsley, pickled peppers, and almonds and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place the pasta in a strainer and thoroughly rinse under water to remove any excess starch. Transfer to the pot of boiling water. Cook, uncovered, 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the corn kernels and diced bell peppers in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly browned and softened. Transfer to the pot of cooked pasta. 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 with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned scallops in an even layer. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Flip the scallops and add the butter, capers, and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Cook, constantly spooning the sauce over the scallops, 1 to 2 minutes, or until coated and cooked through. Turn off the heat.

To the pot of cooked pasta and vegetables, add the pesto and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.Serve the finished pasta topped with the cooked scallops and sauce. Garnish with the pepper-almond mixture. Serve the remaining lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!