I love opening my mailbox and seeing an issue of Food & Wine or Bon Appétit magazines in there. Sure, I have to flip through a lot of meaty things I don’t want to see, but my brain either converts it into something else entirely, or I think of ways I could veganize it. When I got this month’s issue of Food & Wine, I came across a seaweed-matcha butter recipe served with radishes that I really wanted to try. Would this buttery, salty, earthy spread with a whispery scent of the ocean be great tossed with pasta? Yes!
But as good as the buttery, and perfectly salty pasta was, it needed something else. So I added in some scored vegan scallops (sliced king oyster stems) and a touch of black and white sesame seeds for a pop of color and crunch. The results were fantastic!
For this application, I used ochazuke wakame seasoning, which is an intensely salty and umami-laden seasoning I use in soups and batters. For the butter, I cultured my own, although Miyoko’s Kitchen’s cultured butter would work fantastic here as well. Once the butter is made, toss it with piping hot noodles, and allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
If you can’t find any ochazuke wakame seasoning, you could probably use a tablespoon of ground nori with an equal amount of miso paste to combine with the butter and matcha powder. This would also be great with something green thrown in like edamame or minced kale.
PASTA WITH SEAWEED-MATCHA BUTTER AND VEGAN SCALLOPS
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
* Recipe adapted from the April 2016 issue of Food & Wine magazine.
Ingredients
FOR THE VEGAN SCALLOPS
- 2 large king oyster mushroom stems, sliced into scallop-sized slices and soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
- 1 TB olive oil
FOR THE SEAWEED-MATCHA BUTTER
- 1/2 cup cultured vegan butter (allow to come to room temperature)
- 1 TB ground ochazuke wakame seasoning (I used a coffee grinder)
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
TO SERVE
- 4 –6 ounces spaghetti
- 2 teaspoons black and white sesame seeds
Instructions
TO MAKE THE VEGAN SCALLOPS
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Score one side of the scallops and place into the pan, scored side up. Allow to develop a golden color around the edges, then flip and continue to allow a golden color to develop on the scored side.
TO MAKE THE SEAWEED-MATCHA BUTTER
- Combine the softened vegan cultured butter with the ochazuke wakame seasoning and matcha powder.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain well.
TO SERVE
- Toss the pasta with the seaweed butter (start with half and add more in as desired) and divide into bowls. Top with the vegan scallops and sesame seeds. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Vegan Seafood
Emily Davies says
I see you soak the King Oyster Mushrooms here as well as with your other “scallop” recipes. Why do you include this step? Does it change the texture of the finished dish? MAny thanks for your response.
erinwyso says
Hi Emily,
Soaking the mushrooms gives them a more succulent texture. Due to their thickness, sauteeing them dry can result in a “pencil eraser” consistency.