FOR THE PASTA & SAUCE:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook diced shallot and red pepper flakes, stirring often, until shallot is softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Add soaked saffron in water & halved tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes are soft and start to release their juices, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add lemon zest & season sauce with salt to taste. Add pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Cook, tossing constantly and adding more reserved pasta water as needed, until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta, about 2 minutes.

FOR THE SCALLOPS & GARNISH:

1. Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
2. Heat a 12-14 inch pan over high heat, add the butter and olive oil.
3. Season each side of the scallops with kosher salt. Once the butter & olive oil begin to smoke, gently add the scallops to the pan, making sure they are not touching each other.
4. Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. The scallops should have a deep golden crust on each side.
5. Serve the pasta topped with scallops & garnish with society garlic blossoms.