Grilled Scallops

Bacon is my favorite seasoning. We made this delicious recipe from the Grilled Scallops with Warm Leek, and Bacon  Salad from The Food of Campanile by Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton. This was a great preparation of scallops. I want to make this dish again. As long as I was grilling I grilled some peppers and made: Signora Bimbi's Peppers. This was a great side to serve with the scallops. It is from The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Once the peppers are made they can stay in the refrigerator for several weeks. The recipe can be found in our blog of: May 19, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

Grilled Scallops with Warm Leek, and Bacon Salad

The Food of Campanile

Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton

Serves   4

The smokey flavor of the bacon and the sweetness of the leeks are the perfect complement to the flavor of grilled fresh scallops. The textures of the chewy bacon and the soft scallops contrast wonderfully as well. Fresh scallops should be firm, translucent, and have the distinct scent of the sea. If the scallops are parchment white, flabby, and lacking any scent, they have been soaked in a chemical bath, which adds to the weight and shelf life, but not the quality.

1-1/2 pounds sea scallops

1         tablespoon vegetable oil Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1         tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces bacon, thick-cut slices cut into lardons

2       large leeks, well washed and trimmed, split, and cut into julienne

¼      cup Chicken Stock

2         tablespoons whole grain mustard Fresh lemon juice

Have   ready

The Chicken Stock, warm, in a small saucepan over low heat

Soak twelve 6-inch wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes.

Start a fire in the grill and allow it to burn to medium-high temperature.

Clean the scallops, removing the small ligament on the side of each scallop. The scallops should be skewered through the sides, so the flat surfaces line up and come in even contact with the grill. You need to use two 6-inch wooden skewers to hold each group of 5 or 6 scallops, to prevent them from rotating on the skewer. Brush both sides of the scallops with vegetable oil, and season them lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.

In a large saute pan, over low heat, render the fat from the bacon lardons, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and * remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, discarding all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Drain the bacon on absorbent paper and reserve.

Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the tablespoon of bacon fat in the large saute pan, and preheat over medium heat, but not to smoking. Add the leeks, season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper, and saute about 2 to 3 minutes. Return the bacon to the pan, stir, and continue to saute for 2 minutes longer. Add the Chicken Stock, stir, and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the mustard, and stir to mix thoroughly. Correct the seasoning to taste with kosher salt, black pepper, and fresh lemon juice, and keep warm.

Grill the skewered scallops over medium-high heat, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Divide the warm leeks and bacon evenly among 4 large, warm plates. Remove the scallops from the skewers, place them on the leeks and bacon, and serve immediately.