Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Wow, these bacon wrapped scallops are a scrumptious hors ‘d oeuvre! They are wonderful by themselves but the sun-dried tomato aioli sauce just bring them to another flavor level. And you can make that sauce a day ahead of the scallops. It’s important to get the largest sea scallops you can find because they make for a perfectly filling appetizer without being over powered by the bacon. Boars Head Bacon is the best bacon to use for this dish because it doesn’t have a smokey or maple flavor that would compete with the taste of scallops. I have you cook the bacon half way thru too so you don’t end up with a piece of rubbery, under cooked bacon at the end. You don’t want to over cook the sea scallops worrying about the bacon being cooked thru. Since scallops are so rich you may want to serve some non-fish hors ‘d oeuvres like the best guacamole ever, zucchini torta, baked asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto, baked yukon potato fries with Greek yogurt remoulade, or mango-avocado salsa.
Ingredients – serves 4 people with 2 scallops each or 8 people with 1 scallop each:
- 1 lb. sea scallops (this will be approx. 8 ex-lg sea scallops)
- 8 slices of Boars Head Bacon (don’t use other brands because some are too smokey and some are heavy on maple flavor)
- 2 lg garlic clove put thru garlic press
- 3 Tbsp of olive oil
- sprinkle of salt
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 375º
- Cook 8 slices of bacon for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat until they are cooked half way thru and golden on the edges
- Drain half cooked bacon on paper towels
- Put 3 Tbsp olive oil in a medium size dish with 2 garlic cloves put thru garlic press
- Add Sea scallops to garlic and mix, fully coating the scallops with the garlicky oil
- Add in the bacon strips and also coat with the garlicky oil
- Begin to wrap the scallops with the bacon, the bacon should overlap about 1″ and you will have to cut off the last 1 1/2″ because the bacon will be too long
- Fasten a toothpick on an angle as shown in the photo above to hold the bacon in place while it’s cooking
- Heat a cast iron pan on high for about 2 minutes
- When hot add in bacon wrapped sea scallops and sear for 2 minutes
- Then flip them over and immediately put the pan into a pre-heated oven for 12 minutes
- Take out and serve with sun-dried aioli sauce