Have you ever eaten a bacon wrapped scallop? If your experience was anything like mine, either the scallop was sweet and tender, and the bacon was raw and chewy, or the scallop was annihilated and the bacon perfectly crispy. It’s pretty obvious the dish is virtually impossible to master.
As an alternative, this recipe still gives you the flavor pairing of the scallop and the bacon, except the bacon is crispy as it should be and the scallop is still tender and sweet. The tangy vinaigrette also adds a nice level of acid to even out some of the fat from the bacon. I served the scallops with prepared couscous as an entrée. However, this would work well as an appetizer too.
Ingredients:
12 fresh scallops
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 shallots, finely minced
1/2 cup bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Directions:
1) Lay the scallops on a plate lined with paper towels and cover the scallops with an additional layer of paper towels. Gently press down to remove any excess moisture.
2) Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook for five to seven minutes until the bacon is brown and crispy. Transfer the bacon from the pan to a small bowl, using a slotted spoon and set the bowl aside.
3) Add the garlic and shallots to the pan and cook for two to four minutes until they’re lightly toasted.
4) Stir in the sugar and the vinegar and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
5) Remove the pan from the heat, add the bacon back in, and stir in the mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper.
6) While the flavors of the vinaigrette blend, heat a grill on medium-high heat.
7) Spray both sides of the scallops with the cooking spray and season them with salt and pepper.
8) Place the scallops on the grill and cook for two minutes until lightly browned. Flip the scallops over and cook for an additional two minutes until lightly browned.
9) Remove the scallops from the grill and transfer them to serving platter. Drizzle the scallops with the warm vinaigrette and top with sliced green onions. Serve with prepared couscous or rice.
