Creamy Corn & Bacon Pasta with Scallops

Serves 4-6

Pair with...

For chowder and bisque soups the first wine that comes to mind is dry Vouvray. Made with Chenin Blanc grapes, this Loire Valley wine typically has a strong floral-to-honeysuckle aroma marked by ripe melon and citrus.   A prominent acidic backbone is layered with a medium to full body and an off-dry mouthfeel. It pairs well with creamy dishes because is feels thick in your mouth but is smartly balanced by the citrusy acidity that cuts through the full textures in the food and makes the dish feel lighter and fresh. 

If you like corn chowder and pasta carbonara, then this dish is for you. I took the best parts of both dishes and combined them to create a restaurant-quality meal that was easy to assemble, relatively quick to prepare and absolutely delicious. Did I mention I did it without cream or eggs?

  Buy the freshest and most local corn you can and using a knife, cut the kernels from the cob length-wise by standing up the cob on end. Next, using a cheese grater, grate the cobs to collect the ‘corn milk.’ This adds a creamy element without adding cream. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1lb pasta 
4 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed, cobs grated to extract liquid (corn milk)
 1 onion or two large shallots
1/2 cup water 
3-4 strips bacon, cut into 1/2 inch wide pieces 
3 scallions, chopped
 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning 
2 scallops (per serving) 
Chopped parsley (for garnish) 
Olive oil 
Sea Salt
 Pepper
 Fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Prepare a pot to cook the pasta.
 In a pan, cook the bacon until just crisp and drain on paper towels and reserve. 
Wipe out the pan add 1 tsp oil, onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Turn the heat to low and add 3/4 of the corn and water and cook for another 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. 
Transfer the mix to a blender, add corn milk and Old Bay seasoning.
Blend until smooth.
Add water as necessary to create a thick but pourable mixture. Reserve. 

Add pasta to boiling water.
 In the pan you cooked the onion, add 1 tsp oil, the scallions and remainder of the corn and cook on low heat. 
Prepare another skillet and season the scallops with salt and sauté on medium heat for 3 minutes per side. Set aside. 
Drain the pasta, but reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. 
Add the corn pureé to the corn kernels and scallions.
Add the pasta and pasta water and combine. Stir in bacon. 
Serve in a shallow bowl.
Top with scallops.
Garnish with parsley and sea salt.
Squeeze lemon over the top.  

Chris Chisholm is a Certified Specialist of Wine and a graduate of Boston University Wine Studies and Wine Making programs. He is also a graduate of Cook Street School of Culinary Arts in Denver, CO. He has worked as a personal chef and chef instructor.

If you have any questions, email Chris at chris@snugharborwine.com. You can also follow Chris on Instagram @winechefchris for more delicious food photos!