Seared Scallops With Mint Peas And Bacon Recipes

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH MINT, PEAS, AND BACON

Steps:

• Place scallops on a paper towel-lined plate and pat very dry with additional paper towels. Season both sides with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper total.
• Bring 1 cup water to a boil, covered, in a small pot. Add peas and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook until peas are bright green and tender, about 2 minutes for fresh and 4 minutes for frozen. Drain peas through a strainer set over a bowl; reserve cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet and heat over medium-high. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until fat starts to render, about 3 minutes. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned and bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon and shallot to a small bowl, reserving fat in skillet. Add 1/2 cup cooked peas to bacon mixture.
• Purée lemon juice, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, the remaining 1 1/2 cups peas, and 1/2 cup reserved pea cooking liquid in a blender. Add oil and pureé until smooth. Add 2 Tbsp. mint leaves and pureé until just combined but pieces of mint are still visible. Divide pea purée among 4 plates.
• Heat skillet with reserved fat over high until just barely smoking. Working in batches and adding more oil if necessary, sear scallops until a golden brown crust has formed and scallop releases from skillet, about 3 minutes per side. Top pea purée with scallops and bacon-pea mixture, then sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. mint.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEMON AND BACON

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and fry the bacon pieces until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Reserve the bacon fat in the skillet and transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Meanwhile, arrange the scallops so they lay flat and are evenly spaced on a plate. Pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
• Cook the scallops, undisturbed, over high heat until they are golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the scallops and cook for 1 minute more. Turn off the heat, add the lemon zest and juice, parsley and reserved bacon pieces and toss to combine. Divide the scallops among 4 plates or a serving platter and serve immediately.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE, CRISPY BACON, AND MINT OIL

Steps:

• 1. To make the mint oil, put all the ingredients in a blender and whizz. Chill for 2 hours to let the flavour develop, then strain.
• 2. Cook the peas with the mint in salted, boiling water until just tender but not soft. Drain and refresh in very cold water.
• 3. Purée the peas in a blender until very smooth, or push through a sieve.
• 4. Grill the bacon, put it on kitchen paper and keep warm.
• 5. Heat 2 large frying pans until very hot but not smoking. Season the scallops on both sides with sea salt. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) mild olive oil to each pan and then put in the scallops. They should sizzle. Cook each scallop for 45 seconds on each side, then remove from the pan and keep somewhere warm.
• 6. Whisk all the honey vinaigrette ingredients together.
• 7. Divide the pea purée between 6 warmed plates and place 3 pieces of bacon across each portion. Arrange 3 scallops around the purée and drizzle with the mint oil. Put some salad leaves dressed with honey vinaigrette on top.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Heat a large saute pan over medium-low heat, and add bacon. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Drain excess fat, leaving a thin coat on bottom of pan. Increase heat to medium, add scallops to pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until golden brown and opaque, about 2 minutes per side.
• Transfer scallops to the serving dish, and add shallots to pan. When shallots are translucent, add white wine; scrape browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in butter, and pour over scallops; top with reserved bacon. Serve over ribbon zucchini.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BACON & SUMMER SALAD

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium heat.
• Grill corn 10 to 12 min. or until tender and lightly charred, turning occasionally. Cool.
• Meanwhile, toss scallops with pepper and 1 Tbsp. oil until evenly coated. Grill 2 min. on each side or until scallops are opaque. Remove from grill.
• Mix sugar and A.1. until blended. Place bacon in single layer on 2 stacked large sheets heavy-duty foil; brush bacon with sugar mixture. Fold up sides of foil to make rim. Grill 6 min. or until bacon is crisp, turning occasionally. Remove from grill; drain on paper towels.
• Cut kernels off corn cobs; place in medium bowl. Add peas, tomatoes, radishes, shallots and remaining oil; mix lightly. Stir in cilantro, lime zest and juice.
• Break each bacon slice into thirds; place over scallops. Serve with vegetable mixture.