Mini Scallops with Spicy Spinach Spaghetti

I love mini scallops. In my opinion, they are absolutely perfect for pairing with pasta because you get a bite of scallop with every twirl! I really wanted to make this dish POP, so instead of using regular spaghetti I used spinach but I decided to give it even more of an edge by adding a habanero pepper to the sauce! This dish is comfort, elegance and heat all in one! Enjoy!

The Sexy Chef Liz's - Mini Scallops with Spicy Spinach Spaghetti

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. mini scallops, fully drained and patted dry
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 habanero pepper,  minced
- 1/2 lb spinach spaghetti
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- 6 large fresh basil leaves
- 1 lemon
- olive oil
- crushed red pepper flakes
-  salt
- pepper



To Make:
In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions, no more than 9 minutes or until al-dente.

In the meantime, in a large skillet, drizzle some olive oil and toast 1/2 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes for about 30 seconds on medium heat. Next add in the onion, garlic and red bell pepper. Next add in the habanero pepper. Mix together. Saute on medium for about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a food processor, add the veggie mixture, the feta cheese and the basil. Turn on the processor and blend until smooth, slowly adding in another tbsp of olive oil.

Remove from the processor, place back into the saute pan and cook on low heat, slowly mixing in the Parmesan cheese.

Lastly, in another medium saute pan, drizzle with olive oil and heat until hot. Add in the mini scallops and cook for 1 minute, 30 seconds on each side. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add directly into the sauce and mix together.

Using tongs, take the cooked pasta directly out of the pasta water and place into the sauce. Gently mix together with tongs.

Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!