Pan-Seared Sea Scallops

By á-58

This recipe is the height of simplicity, says Matt Moore. When that’s the case, it means the ingredients used need to be of top quality. Matt buys his bacon from Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams in Madisonville, Tennessee, where it’s smoked over an old-fashioned hickory wood-stoked stove. If you can find a Meyer lemon, please use it—a cross between a lemon and mandarin orange, it supplies great lemon flavor without the tart bite.

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound hickory-smoked bacon, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound sea scallops, patted dry (see note)
• 1/2 lemon, preferably Meyer
• Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Details

Servings 2
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 20mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat a Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the bacon, and cook, stirring a few times, until it is crisp and the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

2. Add the butter and oil to the bacon drippings, and heat over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the scallops, and cook for 60 seconds on one side—do not touch. Flip the scallops, squeeze the lemon juice over them, and cook for another 60 to 90 seconds, until the scallops are just firm to the touch.

3. Remove the skillet from the heat, plate, and pour the pan drippings over the tops of the scallops. Sprinkle with the bacon and parsley as desired, and serve.