This is one of the first dishes I was allowed to put on the menu as a young chef. It has changed over the years, but it is undeniable that scallops and bacon are a classic combination. We use tasso ham, but you get the idea.
Pan-Seared Sea Scallops and Tasso Ham
It is undeniable that scallops and bacon are a classic combination.
Ingredients
Tabasco-Soaked Cherries
- 1/4 cup (40 g) dried cherries
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) boiling water
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Tabasco sauce
Molasses Aioli
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) molasses
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chives, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Almond crumble
- 2 tablespoons (12 g) smoked almonds, crushed
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (24 g) almond flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
Scallops & Tasso Ham
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) blended oil
- 1/8- inch (3-mm) thick slices tasso ham
- 8 sea scallops
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Plating
- 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh minced chives
Instructions
- For the Tabasco cherries, mix the cherries, boiling water and Tabasco together and let soak for 30 minutes, then strain and discard the liquid.
- For the molasses aioli, whisk together the mayonnaise, molasses, garlic, vinegar and chives and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- For the almond crumble, preheat the oven to 300˚F (149˚C). In a small bowl, combine the almonds, all-purpose flour, almond flour, salt and butter and place the mixture on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
- For the scallops, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the blended oil and tasso ham and cook until the ham has a nice crisp to it. Remove the ham and keep warm. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. In the same pan on medium-high heat, sear the scallops on both sides, approximately 1 minute on each side, to a perfect medium-rare. Place the tasso ham on a plate and top with the cherries.
- Place the scallops on top, drizzle with molasses aioli and garnish with chives and almond crumble.
Notes
Reprinted with permission from Buttermilk & Bourbon by Jason Santos, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019. Photo credit: Ken Goodman.