This is one of the recipes that has been provided by Shirley Cline from San Fransisco. (You can contact Shirley by emailing her - click here). Shirley said:

"This is a Martha Stewart recipe. I've made it and it's delicious".

I was only too pleased to incude this recipe as I was given a very similar recipe a few years ago by a retired fishmonger who was working part-time on Tesco's fish counter - bacon and scallops make a great combination!

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 pound large sea scallops (about 16), sliced in half
crosswise to form 2 rounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tblsp. minced shallot (about 2 shallots)
1 cup dry white wine
2 Tblsp. unsalted butter

• Remove the tough white muscle from the scallops before slicing them (or buy them all ready removed).

• Heat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, and add bacon. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.

• Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Drain excess fat, leaving a thin coat on bottom of pan. Increase heat to medium, add scallops to pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until golden brown and opaque, about 2 minutes per side.

• Transfer scallops to a serving dish, and add shallots to pan.

• When shallots are translucent, add white wine; scrape browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in butter, pour over scallops and top with reserved bacon. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Shirley Cline