Bay Scallops With, Yes, Bacon-Maple Vinaigrette

Anne Quatrano is the award-winning chef behind four Atlanta restaurants: Bacchanalia, Floataway Cafe, Quinones, and Abattoir—as well as the Star Provisions market. This recipe is featured in her first cookbook, Summerland: Recipes for Celebrating with Southern Hospitality. 

Photo credit: Brian Woodcock/Rizzoli

Scallops with Bacon-Maple Vinaigrette
Serves 4

During college, I spent my summers waitressing on Nantucket. After graduating, slightly misdirected, I found myself living on the island for a couple of winters. Although Nantucket is lovely and quiet in the off-season, most of the businesses shut down, and I found myself scrambling for employment. At the time, a job opening scallops seemed like as good an idea as any. But we were paid by the bucket, and after hours of standing on wooden pallets with my feet covered in cold shells, my daily earnings were only a few dollars. (Of course, I popped more than a few of the fresh, raw scallops into my mouth while I worked!) This was by no means my most profitable or successful job. But the scallops were exceptional—we still purchase ours from that same fishing company. This appetizer is a great way to show them off.

For the bacon vinaigrette

¼ lb. bacon, finely chopped
1 cup sherry vinegar
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the scallops

1 tsp. canola oil
40 Nantucket bay scallops (about ½ lb.)
Kosher salt
¼ ounce Alba white truffle (optional)

To make the vinaigrette:

In a 12-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until light golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; set aside. Add the vinegar to the bacon fat in the pan and cook over medium heat for just a minute or two. Add the stock and maple syrup and cook until the mixture has reduced by about half. Whisk in the oil. Hold this mixture warm in a heat-proof bowl until ready to serve.

To make the scallops:

In a 14-inch nonstick pan over high heat, heat the oil. While heating the pan, lay the scallops out on paper towels and pat dry to remove any moisture and season with salt. When the oil is hot, carefully add the scallops to the pan. Do not crowd the pan or the scallops will not brown, but rather steam, and they will not have the appealing texture and residual sweetness they get when caramelized. If you have a 14-inch nonstick skilletyou should be able to cook all the scallops at one time without crowding the pan. If not, you may need to cook in two batches.

In order to allow the sugars in the scallopsto caramelize and form a golden crust, do not touch the scallops for about 2 minutes. Then give the pan a slight shake back and forth to flip the scallops (or turn each scallop over using a spatula). Cook for another 2 minutes, until browned on the second side.

Immediately remove the scallops from the pan to avoid overcooking and arrange on 4 plates. Top with the crisped bacon and drizzle with the vinaigrette. If you should happen to have any white truffles around, please shave a few on top.

© Summerland: Recipes for Celebrating with Southern Hospitality by Anne Quatrano, Rizzoli New York.

We love this recipe for bacon-maple vinaigrette. Any other cool ways to cook with bacon or maple? Let us know in the comments.