Ingredients
- 12 sea scallops, fresh
- 3 Tbsp canola oil
- 3 Tbsp of butter, unsalted
- 1/2 pound cop-smoked bacon
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup of loosely packed fresh basil leaves, stemmed, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp chives, finely chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic finely minced
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Wooden Toothpicks for Fastening
Preparation
Step 1
In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook bacon until slightly translucent and meaty, but not crispy. Remove bacon from the pan and drain over paper towels.
Make the Pistou by combining olive oil, basil, chives, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a mortar and pestle or blender. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Blend the ingredients well and reserve.
Season scallops lightly with salt and black pepper (since the bacon will add a nice saltiness to the dish). wrap the round edges of the scallop with bacon until the bacon overlaps slightly by 1/2 inch. Trim the excess bacon with a knife. Fasten the bacon around the scallop by inserting a wooden toothpick into the bacon, through the scallop and back through the bacon. The toothpick should be off-center.
Wipe out the skillet used for the bacon with a paper towel, being sure to remove any remaining solids. Place back on the stove over medium-high heat. working in batches of 4, add 1 Tsp of canola oil and place the scallops bacon side down, allowing the bacon to crisp. The crisping does not have to be uniform on all sides. Cook in this manner for 3-4 minutes. Add a Tsp of butter and turn the scallops so they are resting flat on one exposed side. Brown nicely, being careful not to let the butter scorch, cook until slightly golden.
To serve, arrange the scallops on a white platter. Garnish each scallop with a 1/2 tsp of the Pistou.