PAN-SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH BACON CORN RELISH (for four)

 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound large sea scallops, tough tendon removed

5 slices bacon, diced small

½ red bell pepper, diced small

½ green bell pepper, diced small

½ red onion, diced small

4 ears sweet corn, blanched in boiling water 1 minute and kernels sliced off

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons lime juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

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1. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add scallops, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, unmoved, until almost cooked – they should be opaque almost all the way through. Flip them over and sear for only 1 minute. Remove scallops from pan and set aside.

2. In same pan, cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Drain almost all bacon fat from pan, add peppers and onion and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Add corn and cook 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in bacon.

3. Remove mixture from heat. Add cilantro, lime juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.

4. Place a generous amount of relish on each plate, top with a quarter of the scallops and serve at once.

 

adapted from Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby, printed in Florence Fabricant’s The New York Times Seafood Cookbook