Sun dried tomato and spinach cream sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil (or oil from the sun-dried tomato jar)
  
  
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
  
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
  (or half-and-half)
  (or 7/8 c half and half + 2 Tbsp butter)
  (or 1/2c milk and 1/2c greek yogurt)
  
  
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  
  
• 2-3 cups fresh baby spinach
  
  
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  
  
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Sauté Aromatics: 

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Cook for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Make the Sauce: 

Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. 

Lower the heat and let it thicken slightly for 2-3 minutes.

Melt the Cheese: 

Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Whisk gently until the sauce is smooth and the cheese is melted.

Wilt the Greens: 

Add the fresh baby spinach directly to the skillet. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the spinach is just wilted and tender.

Serve:

Remove from heat and serve immediately over your favorite pasta, grilled chicken, or fish.

Recipe Variations

Make it Tuscan: Add cooked sliced chicken breasts, a dash of Italian seasoning, and chicken broth to the sauce base.

Lighter Option: Substitute the heavy cream for a mix of half milk and half Greek yogurt.

Linguine and Scallops in a Sherry Sauce

 recipe from here: https://www.feastmagazine.com/recipes/ingredient/3-ways-to-use-sherry-vinegar-in-your-home-cooking/article_9f2346fc-d1aa-11ea-a9a4-c3f57ecd9181.html

Serves | 4 |

¾ lb linguini

1 lb scallops (fresh or frozen and thawed)

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¹⁄₃ cup unsalted butter, divided

¼ cup sherry vinegar

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

4 leaves sage

¼ cup reserved pasta water

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

¼ cup grated Parmesan

| Preparation | Following instructions on package, cook linguine. Once pasta has finished cooking, strain, reserving ¼ cup water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pat scallops dry with paper towel; remove side muscle, if any is present. Lightly season both sides with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, evenly distribute scallops in skillet, making sure they do not touch one another. Cook, approximately 2½ minutes on one side; flip and cook, approximately 1½ minutes on the other side. (Do not overcook or your scallops will develop a rubbery texture.) Once scallops are cooked, immediately transfer them to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. In the same skillet, add remaining butter and sherry vinegar; cook, 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook, 1 minute. Add sage; cook, approximately 20 seconds, and then remove from heat. Stir in reserved pasta water and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, add pasta. Add half the sauce and Parmesan; toss to combine. Plate pasta and add 2 to 3 scallops to each portion. Drizzle with more sauce, if desired.