Best Seared Scallops With Mint Peas And Bacon Recipes

Seared Scallops image

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories main-dish

Time 8m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 to 1 1/4 pounds dry sea scallops, approximately 16
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
Add the butter and oil to a 12 to 14-inch saute pan on high heat. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the fat begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other. Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. The scallops should have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center. Serve immediately.

Seared Scallops with Pea Purée, Crispy Bacon, and Mint Oil image

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 20

For the pea purée
225 g (8 ounces) English garden peas, shelled weight
4 leaves of mint
salt and pepper
55 g (2 ounces) unsalted butter
For the scallops
6 slices good-quality streaky bacon, rind removed and cut into thirds
18 large king scallops (preferably Cornish), with muscle and roe removed
Maldon sea salt
Mild olive oil, for frying
For the mint oil
100 ml (3 1/2 fluid ounces) mild olive oil
3 large sprigs mint, stems removed
1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) caster (superfine) sugar
For the honey vinaigrette
100 ml (3 1/2 fluid ounces) light olive oil
15 ml (1 tablespoon) white wine vinegar
2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) runny honey
To serve
Salad leaves such as frisée or lamb's lettuce

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 Mint, Peas, & Bacon image

Provided by barbara lentz @blentz8

Categories Seafood

Number Of Ingredients 8

Steps:

Place scallops on paper towel and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper
Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Add the peas and a little salt and cook 4 minutes. Drain through a strainer into a bowl and reserve the liquid.
Meanwhile add the bacon to a large skillet. Cook bacon until fat renders. Add the shallot and cook until the bacon is crisp. Transfer the bacon and shallots to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Reserve the back fat in the pan. Add 1/4 cup of the peas to the bacon and shallot mixture.
Puree the lemon juice some salt and pepper, the remaining peas and 1/4 cup reserved pea cooking water, mint and olive oil. Process until well incorporated and somewhat smooth.
Heat the skillet with the rendered bacon fat. Add more olive oil if needed. Sear the scallops 3 minutes per side until browned.
Plate the pea puree with the scallops and bacon pea mixutre. Then garnish with mint