Day Boat Scallops With Applewood-smoked Bacon Recipe

Pat the scallops very dry with paper towels. If side muscles remain, peel them off and discard. Season scallops evenly on both sides with 3/4 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; set on a tray and keep chilled until ready to cook.

Dice the apple into small 1/4-inch pieces and mince the shallot. Finely slice the chives and chop the parsley. Zest and juice the lemon.

Cut bacon crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.

Make the relish

In a medium bowl combine the diced apple, minced shallot, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Toss to combine and taste — adjust acidity or sweetness with a little more vinegar or honey as needed. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to marry flavors while you cook the bacon and scallops.

Render bacon

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the bacon pieces in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp and most fat has rendered, about 8–10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the crisped bacon for garnish if desired; keep the rest for mixing into the relish or plating.

Carefully pour off and reserve all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the skillet (retain the tablespoon to cook scallops).

Sear scallops

Place a large heavy skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron) over high heat and let it get very hot, about 3–4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat (or an additional 1 tbs butter if you prefer) and swirl to coat. Pat scallops again briefly if any moisture appears. Add scallops to the pan spaced at least 1/2 inch apart (work in two batches if needed). Do not move them. Sear until a deep golden-brown crust forms, about 2–2.5 minutes per side depending on size. Flip once using tongs and sear the second side 1.5–2 minutes until just opaque through the center. Total cook time should be about 4–5 minutes per scallop for large day-boat scallops (adjust for smaller ones).

During the last 30 seconds of cooking, add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the scallops (baste) to finish and add shine. Remove scallops to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

Combine relish and bacon

If you reserved cooked bacon (except for garnish), stir it into the apple-shallot relish. Taste and adjust seasoning.

In a small bowl whisk together 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted), 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest to make a quick finish sauce. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

To plate: Spoon about 1–2 tablespoons of the apple & shallot relish in the center of each plate. Arrange 3 scallops atop the relish per person (12 scallops serves 4). Drizzle each scallop with some of the lemon-butter finish and a few drops of any remaining browned pan juices. Scatter reserved crisp bacon pieces and sliced chives over the scallops. Finish with a light dusting of smoked paprika and flaky sea salt. Add microgreens or baby arugula alongside if using.

Serve immediately while scallops are warm and relish is bright and cool.